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HOW  1  GOT  FAITH 


EXPERIENCES     IN     THE     LATE    MINISTRY 
OF  THE  CONVERtiEb  INFIDEL 
WILLIS     M.     BROWN 


m> 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

Experiences  in  the  Late   Ministry  of  the 

Converted  Infidel.  WILLIS  M.  BROWN. 

of  Roswell,  New  Mexico 


PubluKed  by  Lithgow  Manufacturing  Slatiooery  Co., 
Albuquerque,  New  Mexico 


WILLIS  M.   BROWN 


PREFACE 


Ever  since  I  wrote  my  book,  ''From  Infidelity  to 
Christianity,  Life  Sketches  of  Willis  M.  Brown," 
people  have  been  asking  me  by  letter,  and  other- 
wise, how  I  got  such  faith  as  I  spoke  of  in  my  book. 
For  some  time  I  have  felt  impressed  to  write  a  book 
on  this  line  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  for  the  en- 
couragement, and  the  good  of  mankind.  For  hours 
I  havefelt  impressed  that  what  I  do  I  had  better  do 
quickly,  as  time  is  short,  death  is  sure,  and  besides, 
the  enemy  should  be  given  every  sharp  and  smart- 
ing rebuke  possible,  without  delay.  I  realize  that 
God  has  already  added  eighteen  years  and  some 
months  to  my  life.  I  do  not  know  how  much  more 
he  will  add,  but  the  eighteen  years  are  up. 

I  was  just  on  the  eve  of  beginning  this  book 
eight  years  ago,  when  at  Creston,  Washington,  but 
some  things  occured  which  prevented  me.  But  by 
the  help  of  God,  I  think  I  can  now  write  it,  and 
make  it  a  different  book,  and  a  real  benefit  to  the 
public;  as  there  is  a  great  deal  of  my  experience 
which  has  never  gone  before  the  public.  So,  with 
faith  in  the  God  who  lias  carricMl  me  through  many 
dark  and  testing  trials,  and  who  has  never  failed 
me  in  anything  I  undertook  in  His  name,  I  shall  be- 
gin this  book,  trusting  that  it  will  be  a  blessing  to 
many  souls;  and  discouraged,  and  accused  pil- 
grims. 

— Willis  M.  Brown. 


923379 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTER  I. 


HOW   I   GOT   FAITH   FOR   SALVATION 


On  the  5th  day  of  January,  1895, 1  went  to  meet- 
ing through  curiosity,  having  heard  that  my  cluim, 
Jolin  Lambert,  was  a  mourner.  He  had  drunk, 
and  horse  raced  and  done  much  wickedness  Avith 
me.  When  I  arrived  (there)  at  [the  meeting- 
house, (which)  was  set  in  the  valley  on  a  creek  at 
thu  foot  of  a  hill  six  miles  north  of  Cave  in  Rock, 
Illinois,  on  what  Avas  known  as  the  "Ioav  Avater 
road"  leading  from  CaA'e  in  Rock  to  Equality,  Illi- 
nois] ,  I  met  tlie  large  crowd  of  people ;  and  among 
them  my  chum,  Lambert,  who  told  me  that  he  Avas 
saA^ed.  I  believed  that  he  was  honest,  but  that  he 
was  deceived.  Services  began,  but  nothing  inter- 
ested me.  Finally  a  man  named  Willis  Buncli,  Avho 
had  been  holding  meetings  six  miles  nortli  of  this 
place,  came  in.  I  had  heard  of  liim,  but  T  did  not 
have  a  A'eiy  good  oiunion  of  him. 

After  his  coming  something  happened  Avliicli  at- 
tracted my  attention.  I  could  see  a  difference  be- 
tAveen  him  and  the  otlier  pr(\u-hers.  His  testimony 
was  different,  he  i)rayed  different,  and  lie  h)oked 
different.  After  meeting  Avas  dismissed  he  prayed 
for  a  sick  cliild.  I  could  see  that  tlie  child  Avas 
very  sick,  and  I  looked  to  see  what  Avould  l>e  the 
result  of  his  prayer.  I  had  heard  many  prayers 
prayed,  but  neA'er  before  had  seen  any  one  ])ropose 
to  pray  and  expect  the  ansAver  immediately.     Two 


G  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

preachers  that  had  known  me  all  my  life  stood  be- 
tween me,  and  the  man  and  the  sick  child.  I.  M. 
Hedden,  who  had  just  been  converted,  was  at  my 
right.  He  watched  me  and  would  attempt  to  kneel : 
then  he  would  look  at  the  preachers  who  were  mak- 
ing fun  of  the  man ;  then  he  would  attempt  to  get 
up.  Finally  he  looked  at  me,  a  poor  infidel  and  a 
drunkard  just  on  the  brink  of  the  grave,  trying  to 
look  around  those  preachers  to  see  if  there  was  a 
God  who  would  answer  prayer ;  he  then  fell  on  his 
knees  and  hid  his  face  in  his  hands.  He  is  now  a 
preacher  in  this  Reformation,  and  his  address  is  I. 
M.  Hedden,  Metropolis,  Illinois,  When  the  preach- 
er, Bunch,  said  "Amen,"  the  child  jumped  up  and 
said  it  was  well.  The  two  preachers  that  had  known 
me  all  my  life  said  to  me,  "Thei-e  is  your  sanctifi- 
cation."  I  said,  "That  was  God  answered  prayer," 
and  this  convinced  me  that  God  would  answer 
prayer. 

Probably  if  I  had  gone  away  and  not  investigat- 
ed further,  the  enemy  would  have  snatched  all  of 
tliis  from  my  mind  and  made  me  to  lose  sight  of  the 
handwork  of  God.  Every  time  I  meditate  over  the 
past  T  thank  God  for  moving  on  the  heart  of  a  sin- 
ner to  propose  to  go  home  with  me  for  dinner  that 
day  provided  I  would  come  back  to  meeting  with 
Mm  that  night.  He  did  not  know  what  it  meant ; 
neither  did  I ;  neither  did  any  of  the  others  of  my 
neighbors  who  heard  him  make  the  proposal  to  me. 
But  I  have  seen  many  times  since,  that  if  he  had  not 
gone  home  with  me,  I  would  not  have  gone  back  to 
meeting  that  night ;  and  if  I  had  not,  probably  the 
thousands  of  persons  I  have  witnessed  saved  and 
the  thousands  of  cases  of  healing  whicn  I  have  wit- 
nessed would  have  never  had  the  gospel.  The  first 
Bible  sermon  1  ever  heard  in  my  life  was  that  night, 
which,  with  what  I  saw  that  day  and  heard  from 
the  pulpit  that  night,  con\^nced  me  that  there  is  a 
God  who  icill  answer  prayer;  and  also  that  I  had  a 


ilUW  I  CiUT  FAITH  7 

soul  that  Avould  live  as  long  as  God  lives;  and  iliat 
my  time,  so  far  as  man  could  see,  would  In-  vciy 
short  on  earth,  as  I  Avas  a  total  Avreck  i»li\si(ally, 
uiven  up  to  die  of  eonsuniption  by  three  doctors. 

After  reachinjj;-  lionie  tliat  night  and  looking  at 
the  bed  where  my  wife  and  baby  lay,  and  then  at  the 
other  bed  where  the  other  two  boys  lay,  I  thought 
of  my  condition,  and  there  was  no  sleep  for  me  that 
night.  I  studied  over  my  past  life,  from  the  lirst  of 
luy  life  to  where  I  sat  before  the  fire  the  next  morn- 
ing. At  six  o'clock  I  decided  to  call  on  God  for 
help.  Xow,  I  had  studied  all  night  and  had  counted 
the  cost,  and  I  decided  that  it  Avas  the  bi^st  thing  to 
do.  So  I  lifted  my  eyes  to  the  heavens  and  called  on 
God  to  have  mercy  on  me,  and  to  send  conviction  to 
my  heart.  I  knew  nothing  about  God's  word,  but  I 
felt  that  my  heart  must  be  broken  up  before  I  could 
make  a  surrender  to  God.  I  believe  here  is  Avhere 
many  fail  to  get  saved.  They  are  impressed  as  I 
was,  but  they  pray  for  salvation  without  proper 
conviction,  and  just  decide  to  ])elieve  that  (Jod  saves 
them  because  they  prayed.  They  have  no  godly  sor- 
row^ for  sin  ;  they  do  not  see  that  of  themselves  they 
cannot  believe,  but  just  presume  on  God's  mercy, 
and  hope  that  he  Avill  save  them  because  they  have 
gone  through  a  form.  I  plead  with  God  for  two 
days  and  nights,  but  I  could  not  feel  sorry  enough 
to  quit  my  sins,  and  make  my  wrongs  right,  until 
God  broke  up  my  heart:  and  then  I  felt  asliamed  of 
my  life,  and  of  the  way  that  I  had  treated  God,  who 
had  been  so  merciful  to  me.  As  I  reviewed  my  i)ast 
life  I  could  see  the  unseen  hand  of  God  that  had 
been  ever  stretched  forth,  graciously  sparing  my 
life.  When  I  had  my  left  breast  caved  in  on  my 
lungs,  and  four  ribs  broken,  and  the  best  doctors 
that  could  be  gotten  to  my  bed  said  that  I  could  not 
live.  He  spared  my  life.  When  I  was  benten  up 
with  knucks  until  I  could  not  lift  my  head  from  the 
l)illow  without  iK'lp,  He  spared  me  tlien.     Ii   now 


8  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

came  to  me  that  God  had  spared  my  life  for  a  better 
purpose  than  to  lie  behind  prison  bars,  or  in  the 
ditch  of  drunkenness,  or  in  the  cage  of  Intidelity. 
This  encouraged  me  to  make  a  surrender  of  my  life 
and  time  for  God.  I  made  it  for  time  and  eternity. 
Seeing  that  I  had  done  all  that  I  knew  to  do,  and 
willing  to  do  anything  that  God  would  show  me  to 
do,  I  believed  the  God  that  healed  the  child  would 
save  me;  and  as  I  settled  it,  all  darkness  passed 
away,  God's  Spirit  flooded  my  dead  soul,  and  it  be- 
came alive  to  God.  All  malice,  murder,  and  hatred 
were  gone.  Joy,  love  and  peace  were  flooding  my 
soul;  but  the  devil  tried  to  make  me  doubt.  But 
after  calling  on  God  for  more  evidence.  He  con- 
vinced me  that  I  was  saved,  but  again  the  devil  im- 
pressed me,  saying  that  I  could  not  live  it.  My  de- 
sire was  to  live  it,  and  I  called  upon  God  for  power 
to  live  it. 

After  fifteen  hours  of  constant  prayer,  God  led 
me  by  His  spirit  to  consecrate  my  time,  my  busi- 
ness and  my  life  to  Him.  (This  I  did).  My  faith 
took  hold  of  God's  promises,  and  I  felt  every  bit  of 
self  go  out  of  my  soul,  and  I  felt  as  though  I  was  a 
shadow.  I  was  asked  by  one  who  knew  I  was  seek- 
ing salvation,  how  I  was  getting  along.  I  opened 
my  mouth  to  say  all  right,  when  my  faith  took  hold 
of  God,  and  my  soul  was  filled  with  overflowing 
joy  which  made  me  shout  and  rejoice.  I  had  done 
all  that  I  knew  to  do,  and  just  believed  God. 


now  1  GO'J-  1  AITH 


('HAPTKK  11. 


WHAT  THE  HOLY  GHOST  HA8  DONE  FOR  MK 


1  liavc  never  heard  any  one  else  testify  to  re- 
ceiving tlie  Holy  (Iliosr  as  I  received  Him.  For  this 
reason  1  do  not  olten  tell  it,  bnt  I  leel  that  1  should 
tell  it  now  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of 
souls,  for  I  have  been  made  to  believe  that  the  rea- 
sor.  mai»y  do  not  stand  is  because  they  do  not  get 
cleansed.  There  is  no  certain  time  set  for  one  to 
tarry  befoie  CJod  to  get  the  cleansing  blood  applied, 
but  it  depends  upon  the  earnestness  with  which  the 
seeking  soul  comes  to  (Jod  for  the  same.  We  see 
the  apostles  tarried  nine  days  and  three  hours, 
while  Paul  tarried  only  three  days ;  but  Avhat  he  got 
was  as  genuine  as  what  Peter  and  the  others  re- 
ceived: yet  they  tarried  longer:  For  it  kept  him 
while  he  bore  forty  strips,  less  one,  five  times:  al.so 
while  he  was  being  cast  among  false  brethern  and  in 
prison.  We  hear  him  in  his  last  testimony  saying, 
"I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered  and  the  time  of  my 
departure  is  at  hand.  1  have  fought  a  good  light,  I 
have  finished  my  couise.  I  have  kept  the  faith."  2 
Timothy  4  :()-7, 

My  dear  reader,  the  thing  we  want  to  make  sure 
of  is  this,  that  we  get  the  faith,  and  the  Holy  Ohost 
that  destroys  and  consumes  the  dross  ami  self 
which  hinders  faith.  When  self  is  destroyed  it  cer- 
tainly makes  a  change  in  feelings:  it  did  in  my  case, 
and  left  an  emptiness  that  I  can  no  better  explain 
than  as  I  have  said  before — I  felt  like  a  shadow.  I 
looked  down  to  see  my  body — so  light  did  I  feel — 
and  in  an  instance  my  entire  being  was  filled  with 
the  consunnng  fire  and  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Every  particle  of  fear  and  shame  was  gone,  and  I 
bore  the  fruits  at  once  of  which  the  word  tells.    The 


10  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

iiist  man  tliat  I  met  was  Casper  Fink,  a  dear,  good 
Holy  (xhost  man.  I  greeted  him  with  the  holy  kiss 
(see  I  Thes.  5:20,  also  Romans  1{):1()),  something 
I  nciver  did  before  in  my  life — greet  a  man  Avith  a 
kiss — and  I  did  not  knoAv  that  God's  word  taught 
it.  Next  Avas  Brother  Bunch,  the  preacher,  and 
when  I  greeted  him  he  shouted,  "Holy  Ghost,  Holy 
Ghost !"  and  the  spirit  in  ine  gave  utterance  and 
answered  for  itself  with  shouts  of  joy;  and  my 
whole  soul  and  body  was  on  fire  for  God.  I  do  not 
mean  that  this  fire  was  visible  flames,  such  as  I 
have  heard  poor,  deluded  and  mistaught  people  say. 
But  my  very  flesh  and  bones  and  soul  burned  with- 
i«i  me,  and  every  bit  of  the  work  of  the  devil  was 
de^>troyed,  and  my  Avhole  soul  and  body  was  filled 
Avith  the  j)OAver  of  God ;  so  there  was  nothing  left  in 
my  soul  to  doubt  God.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  God, 
and  I  was  filled  Avith  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  reason  so  many  fail  to  believe  God  is  that 
they  fail  to  get  acquainted  AA'ith  Him;  they  do  not 
I'ome  near  enough  to  Him  to  say  from  the  depths  of 
their  hearts,  "Anything  Lord."  I  haA^e  had  people 
to  ask  me  to  pray  for  the  salvation  of  their  com- 
panion, or  child.  I  would  say,  "Are  you  Availing  for 
God  to  bring  it  about  in  his  oavu  Avay?*'  They  would 
say  "yes."  Then  I  would  tell  of  some  instance  in 
my  experience  where  it  took  the  death  of  a  child,  or 
the  loss  of  property,  and  they  Avould  not  AA^ant  it  to 
come  that  way.  My  dear  reader,  if  you  are  not  ac- 
quainted Avith  God  enough  to  commit  the  whole 
thing  to  his  hands,  and  let  him  bring  it  around  His 
Avay,  you  cannot  exercise  faith  in  Him.  For  the 
Holy  Ghost  dictates  the  prayer  of  faith,  and  if  you 
are  not  willing  for  it  to  be  done  God's  Avay,  the  Holy 
Ghost  AA'ill  not  work.  Your  just  sajdng  a  prayer, 
as  thousands  of  people  do,  brings  no  beneficial  re- 
sults. My  niece  had  a  drunken  husband;  he  died 
drunk  and  I  brought  him  home  dead;  this  was  be- 
fore I  Avas  saA-ed.    After  I  was  saved,  I  went  to  pray 


ilUW   1  GOT   FAITH  11 

for  her  child.  Slic  had  beloiigod  to  tlie  Methodist 
Church  from  a  child.  I  said,  ''Don't  you  believe 
God  will  answer  ])rayer?''  She  said :  '"No.  for  I 
prayed  for  God  to  brinu  my  husband  home  s()l)er. 
and  he  never  did."  I  said,  ''Yes  he  did,  but  all  the 
way  that  God  could  answer  your  prayer,  and  bring 
him  home  sober  was  to  bring  him  home  dead ;  so 
your  j)rayer  was  answered."  But  had  she  known 
it  would  be  done  that  way  she  would  not  have 
prayed.  Just  so  it  is  'wdth  many,  that  want  it  done 
their  way.  But  my  dear  reader,  when  you  get  well 
enough  acquainted  with  God  to  be  willing  to  let  him 
answer  prayer  his  way,  knowing  that  he  is  allwise, 
and  does  all  things  for  the  best,  and  you  ask  believ- 
ing, it  will  come.  God  would  let  the  heavens  fall 
before  he  would  fail  to  answer  the  prayer  of  faith. 


12  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTER  III. 


I  row  1  GOT  FAITH  TO  BE  HEALED 


111  a  tow  days  at't(^i*  I  Avas  saved  I  was  riding 
alone  along  the  road,  meditating;  and  the  following 
thoughts  came  to  me,  ''I  have  not  taken  a  drop  of 
medicine  since  I  began  to  call  on  God  for  convic- 
tion, and  it  is  no  use  for  me  to  take  medicine  for 
the  doctors  say  that  they  cannot  cure  me ;  besides,  I 
cannot  take  it  without  breaking  my  covenant  Tvdth 
God,  for  I  have  committed  my  spirit,  soul  mind  and 
body  to  Him ;  have  put  all  on  the  altar ;  and  if  I 
trust  man,  I  break  my  covenant  with  God."  Then 
my  mind  ran  to  James  5 :13-15 ;  and  I  thought,  ''God 
has  called  me  to  preach,  but  I  cannot  preach,  for  I 
have  no  voice.''  Then  I  thought,  ''God  can  make 
no  mistake;  he  is  able  to  do  Avhat  he  has  promised, 
and  if  I  trust  him,  it  puts  all  the  responsibility  on 
Him,  therefore,  I  will  not  take  another  drop  of 
medicine  while  I  live."  With  this,  my  faith  bound- 
ed through  to  the  throne  of  God;  I  took  hold  of 
God's  promises,  and  saw  myself  a  well  man,  and  a 
X3reaclier,  just  then,  by  faith. 

XoAv,  if  I  did  not  tell  you  what  was  the  matter 
Avirh  me,  3'ou  could  not  Avell  understand  what  it 
meant  for  me  to  make  a  decision.  I  was  given  up 
to  die  of  consumption  by  three  ditferent  physicians. 
I  also  had  catarrh  of  the  head  until  my  hearing  was 
at  one  time  so  bad  that  one  would  have  to  holler 
loudly  to  me.  My  eyes  were  very  Aveak.  Besides,  I 
had  other  afflictions  brought  on  by  a  dissipated  life. 
I  weighed  only  one,  hundred,  twenty-five  pounds, 
walked  A\ith  a  stick,  coughed  and  spit  blood,  and 
suffered  Avith  head  ache,  back  ache  and  heart 
trouble.  I  had  not  been,  to  my  knowledge,  free 
from  pain  for  fourteen  years.     I  decided  to  have 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  13 

the  incaclici'  pray  for  me  iiecordiiig  to  the  Word  of 
CJod  in  tlu;  Fifth  Chapter  of  James,  Tlurteenth  and 
Fonit.eentli  verses.  Now,  this  docs  not  mean  elders 
elected  by  men,  but  God  sent  eldcis  rilled  Avith  (iod, 
who  believe  all  of  God's  word,  and  do  not  try  to 
hide  behind  Timothy's  wine,  or  Hezekiah's  fi<»s,  or 
the  man  ]*anl  left  siek  at  Miletum.  IJut  they  be- 
lieve, if  the  ])atient  meets  the  eonditions.  that  God 
would  let  the  heavens  fall  before  lie  Avonld  fail  to 
heal. 

I  was  prayed  for  the  next  morninii.  and  The  pow- 
er of  God  went  thiouiih  my  body:  every  ])ain  left 
me,  and  1  knew  the  work  was  done — 1  exi)eeted  it  to 
be  done.  You  see,  I  had  meditated  and  decided  that 
it  Avould  be  to  God's  glory  to  heal  me;  and  since  he 
liad  called  me  to  preach,  I  shoTdd  be  an  example  of 
what  I  ])reached.  In  a  fcAv  hours  the  test  came:  my 
lungs  painecl  me,  my  voice  left  me :  but  I  stood  on 
the  AVord,  and  the  Avitness  which  1  had  received. 
IJut  T  had  to  tight  the  devil  a  face  to  face  fight  for 
three  months.  Ofttimes  the  suggestion  would  come 
that  I  was  not  saved,  or  I  would  be  healed.  I  had  no 
one  to  go  to  but  God.  I  would  fall  on  my  knees  and 
ask  (Jod,  if  I  was  right,  to  remove  the  pain  or  sore- 
ness at  once,  and  it  would  go.  This  Avould  encour- 
age me  and  I  Avould  get  victory  moie  easily  next 
time,  until  I  got  to  where,  when  the  test  would 
come,  I  Avould  rebuke  the  devil  in  Jet<us  name:  and 
at  the  end  of  the  three  months,  when  T  gave  my 
property  and  all  I  had  to  my  creditois,  aiul  started 
to  evangelize,  the  work  Avas  completely  done — 1  Avas 
healed. 

XoAV,  a  gi-eat  many  mistakes  ai-e  made  when  pe<>- 
l)le  do  not  make  an  unconditional  surrender  lo  (  mmI  ; 
and  in  i)lace  of  having  faith  to  receiAe  the  Aviine.ss 
they  just  presume  on  (Jod's  promises,  and  say  they 
are  heah-d  because  God's  AVord  says  so.  lint  there  is 
no  healing,  and  no  faith  :  yet  they  claim  to  be  stand- 
ing on  the  promises  of  God.     They  testify  to  heal- 


14  now   r  (iOT  FAITH 

iii.u  without  any  witness  from  God.  This  is  a  re- 
proach to  God's  cause,  hinders  His  work,  and 
shakes  the  faith  of  others. 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  15 


CHAPTER  IV. 


illRACLES  THAT  GAVE  ME  FAITH 


In  the  following  chapters,  I  shall  speak  of  some 
thiniis  that  I  am  sure  Avill  be  doubted  by  some,  ridi- 
culed and  denied  by  others;  but  as  there  aic  living 
witnesses  to  what  I  shall  tell,  I  do  it  for  the  en- 
couragement and  strengthening  of  the  faith  of  those 
who  are  seeking  light  on  God's  Word,  and  promises 
to  mankind.  I  shall  give  the  names  and  addresses 
of  those  who  Avitnessed  the  miracles  that  I  shall 
speak  of  in  these  chapters. 

Xow,  a  description  of  the  country  where  I  was 
living  Avhen  converted,  might  be  interesting  to  some. 
I  was  converted  on  what  was  known  as  Pitts'  Hill, 
eleven  miles  from  Cave  in  Rock,  Harden  County,  Il- 
linois. Pitts'  Hill  was  near  what  was  known  as 
Potts'  Hill,  on  a  road  leading  from  the  Southern 
States  into  the  Xorthern  States  by  Avay  of  Fords- 
ferry,  Kentucky,  and  Eciuality,  Illinois.  There  was 
a  man,  by  the  name  of  Potts,  living  on  Potts'  Hill — 
the  hill  got  its  name  from  him.  He  had  a  large 
house,  and  kej)t  travelers  in  the  early  days  before 
there  were  many  steam  boats  on  the  Ohio  River,  or 
any  railroads  in  that  country.  There  was  also  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Ford  living  at  what  is  now 
known  as  Foi-d's  Ferry,  Kentucky,  on  the  Ohio  Riv- 
er. Potts'  Hill  is  Ix'tween  Fordslcrry  and  K(|uality. 
This  Avas  in  John  A.  Merrill's  lime,  a  noted  horse 
thief  and  murderer.  These  three  men — Foi-d,  Potts, 
and  ^Fci-rill,  Avere  notorious  for  their  niurder-s  and 
lobberies.  There  Avas  a  great  deal  of  travel  from 
the  North  to  the  South.  There  Avere  large  droves 
of  horses  and  nudes  driven  through,  ca'cu  u])  to  the 
time  when  I  can  remendxM-.  Those  going  froui  the 
Xru't.h  to  Tlie  South,  if  anv  wavs  niiiii  ni;Lilit.  would 


10  HOW    I  (iOT   FAITH 

stop  with  Potts  Oil  l*otts'  Hill,  as  tlioro  was  no  other 
place  between  there  and  Ford's  Ferry.  If  they  could 
reach  Ford's  Ferry  by  night,  and  if  Potts  did  not 
get  them.  Ford  Avould  get  them.  Those  going  from 
the  Hoiith  to  the  ^orth,  if  too  early  to  stop  with 
Ford,  would  stop  with  Potts,  as  his  was  the  only 
place  between  Fordsferry  and  Equality:  and  it  is 
said  that  they  nuirdered  and  jobbed  a  great  many 
people. 

My  father  told  me  that  at  one  time  a  man  going 
South  Avith  a  drove  of  horses,  stopped  with  Ford — 
Ford  ran  a  ferry  across  the  Ohio  River,  also  kept  a 
hotel.  Ford  pi-oposed  buying  this  man's  horses, 
but  Avould  not  give  the  price  the  man  asked  for 
them.  While  they  were  talking,  a  nicely  dressed 
stranger  walked  down  stairs  into  the  room  Avhere 
they  were,  and  joining  in  the  conversation,  pro- 
posed buying  the  horses  himself.  They  soon  made 
a  trade,  and  he  ijaid  the  man  for  the  horses.  Soon 
the  stranger  and  Ford  got  on  a  trade,  and  Ford 
bought  the  horses  and  paid  him  for  them  in  the 
presence  of  the  first  oAvner,  who  now  started  on  his 
journey.  But  the  first  place  he  had  a  chance  to 
spend  money,  he  discovered  that  all  the  money  he 
obtained  for  his  horses  Avas  counterfeit.  He  took 
some  men  A^ith  him,  and  Avent  back  to  Ford,  and 
told  him  his  trouble.  Ford  told  him  he  knew  noth- 
ing about  the  man — that  he  Avas  a  stranger  to  him, 
that  he  Avas  noAV  gone,  and  he  kncAv  nothing  of  him : 
but  that  if  he  had  sold  his  horses  to  him  he  Avould 
have  given  him  good  money.  So  the  man  could  do 
no  more,  since  the  horses  were  gone,  and  he  had  no 
way  of  getting  them  back.  My  father  kncAv  of  a 
number  of  instances  similar  to  this:  and  in  case 
they  could  not  w^ork  it  that  Avay,  and  had  to  pay 
real  money  for  anything,  they  would  destroy  the 
man,  and  get  back  the  money.  At  the  time  I  lived 
in  this  country,  this  sort  of  robbery  had  been  brok- 
en up,  and  some  good  citizens  Avere  living  at  those 


HOW   1   HOT  FAITH  17 

places;  ])ut  lln-ic  aic  a  great  iiiauy  bad  people  there 
3'et,  and  you  Avould  think  so,  if  I  should  tell  you  of 
all  the  iiM-idents  1  know,  and  tell  you  of  the  things 
that  I  Avas  Avell  ae(iuainted  with  in  Harden  County, 
Illinois — known,  yet,  as  Hiiypt.  And,  1  am  sure  that 
if  1  should  liive  you  a  full  descriplion  of  all  the 
blood  that  was  shed ;  and  of  all  the  crime  that  was 
coniiiiitted  :  and  tell  you  of  the  men  Avho  ran  off  Avith 
other  men's  Avives;  and  of  tlie  woman  who  cut 
another  woman's  husband's  throat  after  she  had 
left  her  own  husband  and  run  off"  Asith  him  ;  and  of 
his  brother  uoinii  after  a  Avarrant  for  her  arrest, 
and  a  liml)  of  a  tree  fell  on  him,  and  killed  him  aa 
he  was  ictuininji  with  tlie  Avarrant ;  of  the  many 
young-  girls  who  lost  their  character  and  had  their 
lives  blighted  :  of  a  i)i'ea(hei-  holding  the  lani])  Avhile 
a  memlu'r  of  his  church  killed  his  oavu  step-<Iaugli- 
ter  in  order  to  covei-  up  his  own  shame:  of  men 
SAvapping  Avives  :  of  a" father  trading  his  own  daugh- 
ter foi-  a  hailol  :  and  of  other  sindlar  incidents,  you 
Avonld  not  wondei-  at  its  Ix'ing  called  Kgypt.  This 
is  the  kind  of  place  (Jod  brought  me  out  of,  and 
such  things  as  named  above  Avere  so  connnon,  that 
not  nnich  Avas  tliought  of  it.  1  am  sure  that  if  this 
book  readies  Tolls'  Hill,  Illinois,  sonu*  Avho  rea<l  it 
will  know  what  I  am  talking  about.  My  reason  for 
nari-ating  this  is  to  show  you  why  (Jod  had  lo  per- 
foi-m  miracles  in  oidei-  to  conx  iiice  the  people :  and, 
thank  (lod,  il  had  its  effect  ;  for  many  came  to  be- 
lieve in  (Jod,  and  were  saved.  -Iiisl  a  few  days  after 
I  was  converted.  I  got  Urolher  Hunch,  the  i)reacher, 
under  whom  1  v.as  con\-erted,  to  liold  a  meeting 
near  my  home:  and  there  some  woinleirnl  things 
happened:  many  souls  wci-e  saved  and  sanclilied, 
and  many  were  healed.  Hut,  arterwar<ls,  the  devil 
used  a  false  pro])het  to  disgust  many  and  (aiise 
them  to  go  back  into  sin. 

The  tirst   miracle  that  occurred  in  this  meeting 
was  when   Mrs.   Margaret    j-^nller  was  laised   from 


18  now  I  GOT  I  AITII 

the  dead.  We  would  begin  meeting  at  nine  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  the  song,  praise  and  prayer  service 
Avould  last  until  eleven  o'clock:  then  the  pieacher 
would  begin  to  preach.  He  had  no  certain  time  to 
stop,  but  would  generally  preach  until  two  or  three 
O'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  then  we  would  hold 
altar  service  until  five  o'clock,  then  we  were  dis- 
missed for  lunch.  Some  would  go  home  for  lunch, 
but  the  preacher  and  I  would  generally  stay  at  the 
school  house,  as  he  was  tired,  and  I  was  very  weak 
; — I  had  just  been  healed  of  consumption.  The  peo- 
ple would  begin  to  gather  in  before  seven  o'clock, 
and  meeting  would  begin  and  continue  until  mid- 
night, and  sometimes  until  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  This  kept  up  for  three  weeks,  so.  you  see, 
we  were  all  worn  out  because  of  loss  of  sleep.  One 
day  while  Brother  Bunch  was  preaching,  Mrs.  Ful- 
ler and  another  woman  sat  on  the  second  bench  to 
the  preacher's  left.  Mrs.  Fuller  laid  over  on  the 
desk  in  front  of  her.  I,  with  others,  saw  her,  but 
just  thought  that  she  was  sleeping.  Finally  the 
woman,  sitting  by  her,  tried  to  awaken  her,  but 
could  not.  She  screamed  out  and  said,  "This  wom- 
an is  dead."  Dr.  T.  J.  McGinnis,  who  was  the  son 
of  old  Doctor  McGinnis,  who  was  well  known  by  the 
people  of  Harden  County,  Illinois,  and  who  lived 
and  raised  his  family  near  Rosaclare.  near  Eliza- 
bethtowii,  had  two  sons  that  were  doctors,  Fred  and 
Tom.  It  was  Tom  that  was  sitting  there.  He  then 
lived  at  Potts'  Hill,  Illinois,  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  from  the  Lambert  School  House,  the  place  we 
were  now  holding  meeting.  He  went  to  the  wonmn, 
examined  her  and  said,  "She  is  dead."  The  preach- 
er spread  some  over-coats  down  on  the  floor  in  front 
of  the  pulpit,  and  we  laid  her  out — the  doctor  help- 
ed. Brother  Bunch  went  back  to  the  pulpit  and 
preached  for  thirty  minutes — the  doctor  said  he 
timed  him.  The  preacher  then  stopped  preaching 
and  said,  "The  spirit  of  God  impresses  me  that  if  I 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  19 

will  pray  for  this  woman  that  God  will  raise  her 
up.  Conic  on,  Brother  Brown,  and  Sister  Lambert." 
Sister  Ijambert  was  a  woman  very  strong  in  faith, 
and  slie  went  .sayinu,  '•Amen."'  1  did  not  know  what 
to  do,  it  looked  like  foolishness  to  me,  to  pray  for 
(lod  to  put  life  in  a  woman  that  had  been  dead,  and 
laid  out,  thirty  minutes.  But  I  hated  not  to  go,  and 
to  baek  down  befoie  the  ])eople  before  whom  1  had 
testified  so  stiongiy.  So  I  went,  and  the  doctor 
went  too,  but  the  people  sat  spell-bound.  No  laugh- 
ing, no  jeering,  no  fun-making;  we  never  saw  it  this 
Avay  befoi-e.  They  began  to  ])ray.  The  doctor  held 
his  fingers  on  the  artery  which  runs  across  the  jaw 
bone,  aiul  also  on  the  wrist  where  the  pulse  should 
be,  but  he  said  she  had  no  ])ulse;  and  as  the  preach- 
er, and  Sister  Lambert,  piaycd  so  cai-nestly,  I  lost 
sight  of  what  the  jx'oplc  would  think,  and  joined  in 
prayer.  After  we  had  prayed  a  while.  Brother 
Bunch  said,  *'Amen,  it  is  done."  The  woman  that 
had  been  dead,  like  Lazaius,  Avho  came  forth  bound 
in  grave  clothes,  tlircw  uj)  her  hands  and  sang  with 
a  clear  voice, 

"O  come  angel  band. 
Come  and  around  me  stand, 
O  l)eai'  me  away  on  your  snowy  wings 
To  my  immortal  home."" 
She  then  raised  up  and  sat  before  the  peojjh'  ) (rais- 
ing (iod.     Doctor  ]Mc(}innis  said  aloud,  '"(Jood  peo- 
ple, this  woman  was  <lead,  and  has  been  for  thirty 
minutes:     I  had  my  fingers  on  the  arteries  on  her 
jaw  and  wrist.    There  was  no  life  until  the  preacher 
said  *Amen  :'  an<l  then  I  felt  the  blood  gush  through 
her  veins."    Thei-e  w«'re  none  who  denied  it.  oi-  made 
fun  of  it,  but  all  seemed  to  believe.     .Many  who  wit- 
nessed   this   are    siill    living — a    lew    of    iheiii    ai-e 
as  follows: 

John  M.  Lambert.  Doicna.  Missouii :  .Mary  Lam- 
bert Cable,  (ireen,  Iowa:  (these  were  saved  then, 
but  sorry  to  say,  not  now)  :  my  wife.  (5.  A.  Brown, 


20  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

Roswoll,  A'ew  Mexico.  I  do  not  know  ^vIumc  Doctor 
Mc(  Jiiinis  is,  but  he  was  somewhere  about  riukuey- 
viHe,  Livingston  County,  Kentucky,  the  last  I  knew 
of  him,  but  I  am  sure  that  he  would  not  deny  tliis 
statement. 

Another  instance  1  will  relate  is  that  ot  my  son, 
George,  being  raised  from  the  dead  so  far  as  we 
could  s(^e  from  appearances.  I  am  thoroughly  con- 
vinced that  (}od  permits  things  to  come  on  us  for 
our  good,  and  his  glory.  After  I  was  saved  my  Avife 
would  not  surrender  and  get  saved.  I  kept  pi-aying 
God  to  bring  her  to  salvation  for  three  months. 
Finally  I  said,  "Bring  her  Lord,  at  any  cost.'*  (xod 
knows  what  our  idols  are,  and  even  when  we  get  in 
earnest  about  a  soul's  salvation,  for  healing,  or  for 
anything  we  may  desire,  God  never  will  move  so 
long  as  we  hold  ourselves,  or  our  friends,  in  reserve. 
If  Ave  want  him  to  be  easy  Avitli  them.  We  need  not 
expect  to  get  our  prayers  through.  But  Avhen  Ave 
can  say,  "Lord,  bring  it  about  at  any  cost,''  then  it 
is  that  God  moA'es.  It  may  take  the  life  of  some  one, 
but  God  has  promised  to  ansAver  the  prayer  of  faith. 
And  all  AAiio  pray  the  prayer  of  faith,  having  an 
earnestness  in  their  heart,  for  God  to  bring  it  about 
in  his  OAvn  way,  Avill  be  satsified.  When  I  could  de- 
cide this  Avay,  the  Lord  permitted  the  devil  to  touch 
my  Avife's  idol,  Avhicli  Avas  our  youngest  boy,  George. 
He  was  tw^o  and  a  half  years  of  age,  had  been  sick 
a  great  deal  of  his  life,  and  AA'ife  Avorshiped  him.  God 
has  said,  "Thou  shall  have  no  other  Gods  before 
me."  God  permitted  this  child  to  go  into  convul- 
sions— I  Avas  aAvay,  Avife  and  the  child  Avere  alone. 
She  had  most  of  the  day  to  meditate  and  decide 
AA'hether  she  Avanted  to  Avorship  the  child  and  lose 
her  soul,  or  consecrate  the  child  to  God  and  get  sal- 
vation. Soon  after  I  came  into  the  house  I  took  the 
child  out  of  her  lap  and  laid  him  on  the  bed :  AAiiere- 
upon  he  took  a  very  hard  fit,  and  in  a  little  Avhile  he 
was  dead  so  far  as  Ave  could  see.    He  Avas  draAvn  out 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  21 

of  shape,  but  as  Ik*  .uaspcd  his  last  Id-cat li  Iiis  limbs 
and  muscles  sti-aiuhtciicd  out.  Wife  ran  lor  reme- 
dies. 1  told  lici-  that  it  was  for  lier  salvation,  and 
that  if  slie  Avovdd  not  surrender  and  jiive  her  heart 
to  (lod,  the  cliild  woubl  i>o  to  heaven  rijilit  oft.  She 
fell  on  her  knees,  made  her  surrender — iiave  the 
child  to  the  Lord,  and  her  heart  to  (lod.  I,  also,  was 
callinsj;  on  God,  and  the  moment  that  the  tire  of  (lod 
touched  hei*  dead  soul,  she  gave  a  shout,  antl  life 
came  into  the  child.  This  uave  me  more  faith.  I 
Inid  not  <i()ne  out  to  preach  yet,  but  was  preachiuii 
around  home.  Seemingly,  it  was  hard  for  me  to  cut 
loose;  so  (lod  «»ave  me  this  test  throu.uh  the  child, 
and  by  so  doin.u,  burned  the  bridsies  InOiind  me.  The 
chibl  was  paralyzed  in  his  lower  limbs  when  I  de- 
ci<led  to  turn  everything  over  to  my  creditors,  and 
to  obey  God.  1  decided  to  <iive  my  life,  and  my  time 
to  His  sei'vice,  and  started  out.  I  promised  (}od 
that  if  In  would  heal  the  child,  ami  make  hiiu 
strong.  I  would  li\'e  and  <lie  foi-  Him.  and  spend  my 
life  in  His  sei-vice.  After  ])rayer  1  arose  and  started 
on  my  first  evanuelistic  trip,  believing  that  God 
would  heal  the  child  ami  make  a  way  when  there  ap- 
peared to  be  no  way:  and,  in  spite  of  the  devil,  he 
did.  Oftimes  I  would  uet  a  letter  from  home  saying 
that  they  had  nothinii  to  eat,  house  rent  due,  and  no 
money.  The  devil  would  show  me  a  job,  and  the 
Lord  wotild  show  me  the  child,  and  my  covenant.  T 
would  say,  •"Loid.  I  will  stand  by  it  if  we  all  starve." 
and  God  always  made  a  way  when  it  looked  like 
thei'c  was  lU)  way.  l  often  realized  that  if  1  had  iu)t 
had  the  above  experience  that  the  devil  would  have 
run  me  in  a  great  many  times,  -lesus  would  not 
bow  down  to  the  devil  for  the  whole  worbl.  We  see 
in  Matthew  -lilS-ll  :  ''Again,  the  devil  takeih  him 
up  into  an  exceeding  high  mountain,  and'sheweth 
him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of 
them;  Ami  saith  unto  him.  All  these  things  will  I 
give  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worshijt  me. 


2'2  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

Then  saith  Jesus  iiiito  him,  Get  thee  hence,  Satan ; 
for  it  is  written,  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve.  Then  the  devil 
leaveth  him,  and,  behold,  angels  came  and  minis- 
tered unto  him."  Sad  to  say,  but  there  are  many 
God  called  preachers  that  have  bowed  down  to  the 
devil,  and  lost  sight  of  God,  because  they  were 
afraid  of  what  the  people  would  say,  or  that  God 
might  not  provide.  My  brother,  or  sister,  if  this  is 
your  sad  state,  after  you  read  this,  go  into  the  wil- 
derness and  stay  with  Jesus  until  you  Avhip  the 
devil,  and  give  him  to  understand  that  you  will  not 
bow  down  to  him:  but  that  you  will  preach  the 
truth  vdthout  compromise  and  fill  your  calling  if 
you  have  to  starve ;  then  God  will  open  up  the  way. 
Don't  think  that  he  has  forgotten  you ;  he  is  watch- 
ing you  and  Avaiting  to  see  who  you  are  going  to 
believe,  God  or  the  devil.  And  when  you  settle  it, 
that  you  Tvill  believe  Jesus— Matthew  28  :19-20  :  -'Go 
ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost:  Teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you :  and  lo, 
I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world.  Amen,"  then  as  he  ministered  to  Jesus 
through  the  angels,  he  Avill  provide  for  you  through 
his  people,  and  sometimes  through  sinners.  It 
means  to  preach  all  the  Xew  Testament.  Because 
some  one  is  present  who  does  not  believe  do  not  get 
frightened,  and  come  down  out  of  the  pulpit  leaving 
part  unsaid,  as  I  once  knew  a  good  brother  to  do, 
whereupon  God  took  his  message  from  him.  It 
does  not  mean  to  preach  a  wliile,  then  go  away  to 
see  your  people,  then  fish  or  hunt  or  work  on  a 
farm :  but  it  means  for  you  to  put  your  time  in  for 
God  and  his  cause.  And  I  assure  you  He  will  pro- 
vide for  3'ou — no  difference. how  large  your  family. 
It  may  not  be  luxuries,  fine  plumes  and  feathers, 
rati  flowers  and  silk  ties :  but  it  will  be  such  things 


HOW   I  GOT  FAITH  23 

as  you  need  to  satisfy  hunjicr.  and  to  clothe  your 
body.  If  your  clothes  iict  rouuh.  do  not  let  U]),  hut, 
if  ])ossihlc.  i)i'('ach  sti-aiuhtcr  still.  The  harder  you 
hit  honest  souls,  the  better  they  Avill  like  you  and 
the  more  they  will  give.  God  will  take  care  of  the 
truth. 


24  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTER  V. 


THESE  SIGNS  SHALL  FOLLOW  THEM  T'lIAT  BELIEVE 


III  March,  1910,  while  i)reachiiig  at  New  Deca- 
tur, Alabama;  just  at  the  close  of  meeting.  Sister 
J.  W.  Hilburu,  of"  that  place,  came  to  the  altar  with 
one  hand  hanging  helpless  by  her  side,  sajdng  she 
had  no  use  of  it ;  that  she  had  been  impressed  for 
some  days  that  God  would  heal  it — her  husband 
wanted  her  to  use  remedies,  but  she  would  not  do 
so — said  she  knew  that  God  could  heal  her,  and  be- 
lieved that  God  Avould  heal  her  right  then  if  I  Avould 
pray  for  her.  We  knelt  and  prayed  for  her,  and  she 
jumped  to  her  feet,  threw  her  arm  behind  her  and 
over  her  head,  and  said  she  knew  that  God  did  do  it. 
This  was  witnessed  by  Edgar  Williams,  of  Eagle- 
ville,  Tennessee,  and  a  Brother  West,  whose  given 
name  I  do  not  remember,  who  Avas  Avith  us  in  the 
meeting ;  also  Bertha  and  Lillian  Brown  and  a  num- 
ber of  others,  together  with  Brother  J.  Lee  Collins, 
who  was  a  minister  living  at  that  time  at  Xiota, 
Tennessee. 

In  October,  1909,  myself  and  company  of  Avork- 
ers  Avere  called  to  Eagleville,  Tennessee,  by  Brother 
Edgar  AVilliams  to  hold  a  meeting.  He  had  ncA^er 
heard  the  trutli  preached,  but  had  read  the  Gospel 
Trumpet.  AMiile  Ave  Avere  there  he  dropped  a  back- 
log on  his  foot,  mashing  it  A'ery  badly,  and  he  could 
scarcely  walk  on  it.  He  had  his  shoe  off  and  a  rub- 
ber OA'ershoe  on  his  foot,  and  not  able  to  go  to  the 
meeting,  yet  it  Avas  not  more  than  three  hundred 
yards  aAvay.  I  told  him  that  God  could  heal  him 
and  make  him  able  to  Avalk  to  the  meeting ;  talked 
to  him  and  encouraged  him  to  ask  God  to  heal  his 
foot,  and  then  told  him  to  pull  off  his  rubber.  He 
did  so  and  I  took  his  foot  in  my  hands  and  it  AAas 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  25 

bruised  very  bad;  it  seeuied  that  the  bones  were 
crushed.  I  said,  "Xow  when  I  piay  and  say  *Anien' 
you  ^et  up  and  Avalk,''  He  said,  "All  ri^ht/'  and  as 
I  said  amen  he  put  his  foot  down  and  walked  out  as 
well,  seemingly,  as  if  nothing-  had  been  ailing.  He 
looked  at  his  Avife,  calling  lier  by  name  and  said, 
"Inez,  it  is  sure  done,"  and  he  Avalked  to  the  meet- 
ing. 

In  January,  1910,  Sister  Bertha  M.  Brown  and 
myself  Avent  from  TallaAvah,  Mississippi,  to  Inde- 
pendence, Louisiana,  Avith  Sister  Anna  Dnrbin, 
(the  latter  named  place  being  Sister  Durbin's 
home),  and  held  a  meeting  at  this  place.  While 
there  Beitha  BroAvn  took  A'ery  sick  at  the  home  of 
Sister  Evans,  and  it  sccnicd  that  fhe  end  had  come. 
She  Avas  unconscious,  and  almost  gone  so  far  as  Ave 
could  see.  There  AA^ere  a  number  in  the  house,  and  a 
great  many  that  did  not  knoAV  that  God  Avould 
ansAvcj-  ])rayer,  and  a  very  fcAV  that  did  know  it.  It 
seemed  that  in  an  instant  the  surroundings  Hashed 
before  me,  and  Avhat  it  Avould  mean  for  her  to  die 
there,  so  far  aAvay  from  her  mother  and  sisters,  and 
Avhat  a  repi'oach  it  Avould  be  upon  the  cause  for  a 
minister  trusting  (lod  to  pass  aAvay  right  in  tlie 
house  Avhere  another  one  had  passed  aAvay  a  fcAV 
yeais  before — this  being  Avhere  Brother  Jeremiah 
(\)h*  died.  I  believed  that  it  Avas  an  im])osition  of 
the  (h'vil,  and  took  a  stand  against  it,  i-('T)tiked  tlie 
powers  of  hell,  and  the  discouraging  spirit  and 
called  on  God  by  faith ;  and  she  Avas  raised  up.  I 
asked  God  to  laise  her  np  and  make  her  able  to 
l)r('aci»  the  next  niglil,  Avliich  l\o  did,  and  she 
preached  to  a  laige  ((nigicgation.  There  Avas  a  sis- 
ter present  named  I'nrvis,  Avho  lived  near,  and  said 
that  she  had  a  cancer  under  her  arm  and  for  a  lime 
had  been  unable  to  j)ut  her  hand  above  hci-  liciid,  or 
use  il  in  any  Avay  to  adv.aiiliigc.  She  sjiid  she  be- 
lieved that  if  I  Avould  |n;i.\  lor  her,  and  ask  (Jod  to 
h«';d  luM',  tliat  he  av()u1<1  do  so.     After  tiilking  Avith 


20  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

h(*r  foi-  awhile  we  agreed  with  her  in  piayer.  I 
asked  (Srod  to  Idll  every  root  of  that  cancer,  and  take 
it  away  with  every  symptom  of  the  disease,  and  to 
make  her  wiiole  right  then.  She  sprang  to  her  feet, 
threw  her  hand  above  her  head,  and  said,  ''It  is 
done,  it  does  not  hurt  me  a  particle ;  I  could  not 
put  my  hand  above  my  head  before."  She  was  at 
meeting  that  night,  testified  and  threw  her  liand 
above  her  head  before  her  neighbors,  Avho  knew  her 
condition,  and  she  continued  to  attend  the  meetings 
"vsiiich  lasted  a  Aveek  longer  and  testified  during  the 
meetings  of  God  healing  her.  Some  months  after 
we  left  there  she  sent  me  her  written  testimony, 
stating  that  she  was  completely  healed  and  had  had 
no  symptoms  of  the  disease  since.  I  have  forgotten 
lier  given  name.  Sister  Annie  Durbin,  of  Indepen- 
dence, Louisana,  witnessed  this;  also  Sister  Evans, 
who,  I  understand,  has  since  passed  away.  Bertha 
M.  Brown,  201  Xorth  Lea  Ave.,  lioswell,  Kew  Mex- 
ico, and  a  number  of  others,  were  also  witnesses. 

In  March,  1910,  while  at  the  home  of  Sister  A.  J. 
Brown,  West  Decatur,  Alabama,  she  showed  me  a 
very  bad  cancer  in  her  temple,  saying  thit  it  had 
I)een  bothering  her  for  a  long  time,  and  that  she  be- 
lieved that  if  I  prayed  for  her  that  God  would  heal 
it.  We  agreed  in  prayer,  asked  God  to  destroy  the 
roots  and  symptoms  of  the  cancer :  she  said  she  be- 
lieved it  was  done.  The  soreness  and  inflamation 
ivent  out  immediately  and  the  cancer  began  to  dry 
up,  and  finally  disappeared,  leaving  a  slight  scar 
where  it  once  was.  This  was  witnessed  by  her  son- 
in-law,  W.  A.  Eandle,  and  his  wife,  Lala  Randle, 
who  noAV  live  at  Birmingham,  Alabanui ;  also  her 
two  daughters,  Bertha  and  Lillian  Brown,  whose 
address,  together  with  their  mother's,  is  201  North 
Lea  Ave.,  Roswell,  Kew  Mexico. 

At  one  time  I  Avas  stricken  down  very  suddenly 
with  nervous  prostration.  I  Avas  eight  or  ten  miles 
from  the  railroad,  had  to  be  hauled  to  the  depot  in 


HOW  I  GUT  FAITH  27 

a  wagon,  then  go  on  the  train  350  miles  to  my  home. 
They  secured  an  old  wooden  rocking  chair,  placed  it 
in  the  wagon  for  me  to  ride  in.  When  about  half 
way  to  the  station  I  had  them  fasten  the  chair  to  the 
wagon.  It  had  been  very  muddy  and  the  ground 
had  frozen  hard,  the  wagon  ruts  were  deep,  and  the 
top  of  the  ground  was  thawed  enough  to  let  the 
wagon  slip  around,  which  made  it  very  hard  on  me. 
Finally  I  discovered  that  life  was  going  out  of  my 
body  and  I  told  them  to  stop,  I  was  dying.  They 
stopped  the  wagon  and  began  to  pray  for  me.  I 
commenced  to  meditate,  and  took  into  considera- 
tion that  God  had  shown  me  to  go  home  and  that  he 
would  not  let  me  die  on  the  road.  I  rebuked  the 
devil,  and  death,  and  claimed  life  through  Jesus 
Christ,  and  I  felt  death  going  otT  of  me  just  as 
plainly  as  I  felt  it  come  on  me.  This  convinced  me 
of  the  fact  that  Ave  live  by  faith ;  and  I  believe  that 
there  are  many  people  Avho  die,  when,  if  they  would 
only  reason  and  consider  that  it  would  be  to  God's 
glory  for  them  to  live,  and  that  it  was  God's  will 
for  them  1o  live,  that  they  would  live  much  longer. 
I  am  sure  that  I  Avould  have  been  dead  if  I  had  given 
uj).  This  is  not  the  only  instance  in  which  I  have 
been  convinced  of  this  fact. 

While  at  the  camp-meeting  at  Fargo,  Oklahoma, 
in  July,  1912,  after  preaching  on  divine  healing, 
and  presenting  the  altar  foi-  healing,  a  number  canie 
to  the  altar  for  healing,  and  among  them  was  old 

Sister  ,  of  Fargo,  Oklahoma,  Avho  had 

been  going  on  a  crutch  and  a  cane  for  a  long  time. 
She  Avas  helped  to  the  altai*  by  friends.  Wlien  I 
went  to  pray  for  her  she  said  that  she  believ<Ml  that 
God  would  hel])  her  to  walk  away  from  ihe  iiltar 
without  crulches.  A\'\rv  T  ])i-ayed  for  hei-  she  sjynnig 
to  her  feet,  and  jumped,  and  began  to  sliout,  and 
went  away  walking  without  crutch  or  cane.  I  am 
told,  just  nt  this  time,  while  writing  this  testinmny, 
that   she  is  still  walking,  without  crutch  or  cane. 


28  now   1  GOT  FAITH 

Tills  was  witnessed  by  J.  1).  Feiiell,  Far.uo,  Okla.. 
Geoige  Haiiiion,  Clovis,  X.  Mex.,  J.  P.  Milford,  who 
is  now  in  California — but  at  this  time  I  do  iiot 
know  his  address — Pauline  May,  201  Xorth  Lea 
Av(^,  KosAvell,  Xew  Mexico,  and  Ana  Groves,  the 
stenoiirapher,  who  is  now  taking  this  dictation,  of 
Woodward,  Oklahoma,  and  a  number  of  others. 

In  Xovember,  1912,  while  holding  a  meeting  in 
the  tabernacle  at  Roswell,  New  Mexico,  an  old  lady 
got  saved,  and  accepted  the  truth;  but  took  very 
sick,  and  in  a  few  days  sent  for  me  to  come  and 
pray  for  her.  I  went  and  she  was  healed  instantly 
Her  husband  Avas  sitting  in  the  house,  and  seemed 
very  angry  when  I  Avent  in — did  not  believe  in  heal- 
ing. I  prayed  for  her  and  she  Avas  healed  instantlA^, 
and  got  up  out  of  bed;  he  looked  astonished  and* 
said,  "I  know  she  never  did  that  Avay  before.  She 
alAvays,  before,  lay  several  days  Avhen  she  had  those 
spells,  and  nearly  died."  He  had  been  hurt  in  an 
automobile  Avreck,  and  had  his  hip  crushed,  and 
had  to  go  on  crutches — could  not  use  his  limb.  In 
a  day  or  tAvo  he  hobbled  out  to  meeting,  heard  a  few 
sermons,  and  one  evening  Avent  to  the  altar,  still 
going  on  his  crutches.  He  said  that  if  God  could 
heal  his  Avife  Avhen  she  Avas  so  sick  that  he  could 
save  his  soul  and  heal  him  of  his  crippled  limb.  We 
prayed  for  him.  He  arose  and  Avalked  away  and 
left  his  crutches  lying  at  the  altar,  and  has  never 
used  them  since.  His  wife  and  children  are  liAing 
across  the  street  from  us  noAV.  and  he  left  town  the 
other  morning  to  AAork  on  a  ranch  six  miles  out  in 
the  countiy.  His  name  is  Ivirkseik — this  Avas  AAit- 
nessed  by  a  large  congregation. 

In  a  fcAv  months  after  I  began  the  Avork  in  Ros- 
well, XcAv  Mexico,  we  were  holding  night  meetings 
in  a  hall  on  Main  Street,  several  blocks  from  the 
Home,  when  Sister  Martha  Rutledge,  one  of  the 
workers  in  the  Home.  Avas  sick.  Sister  A.  J.  Brown 
and  mv  AAife  staved  Avith  her  and  the  rest  of  us  Avent 


HOW   1  GOT  FAITH  29 

to  iiu'ctiiiu.  AVliik'  I  was  picjicliinu  tluMc  was  a 
youiijj,  man  wlio  was  a  siniicr  and  who  lived  neigh- 
bor to  us,  came  in  and  told  me  that  she  was  dying, 
and  wanted  me  to  eonie  at  once.  Brother  Ed  Arney 
and  [  got  into  his  buggy  and  drove  to  the  Home, 
and  found  her  seemingly  drawing  her  last  breath. 
She  could  scarcely  whisper.  We  laid  hands  on  her 
and  prayed  for  her  and  (Jod  healed  her,  and  instant- 
ly, life  came  into  her  body,  and  she  ai'ose  and  said 
it  was  done.  This  was  known  by  a  number  of  peo- 
ple in  Roswell,  Xew  Mexico,  as  we  returned  right 
back  to  the  meeting  house  from  the  house  in  which 
she  was  healed,  and  numbers  of  people  visited  her, 
and  it  preached  (piite  a  sermon  to  the  pe()])le  who 
had  nevei-  heard  that  wav  before. 


30  now  I  GOT  FAiTH 


chapti:r  VI. 


"Now  there  Avas  at  Joppa  a  certain  disciple 
named  Tabitha,  which  by  interpretation  is  called 
Dorcas ;  this  Avonian  was  fnll  of  good  Avorks  and 
alnisdeeds  Avhich  she  did.  And  it  came  to  pass  in 
those  days,  that  she  was  sick,  and  died:  whom 
Avhen  they  had  Avashed,  they  laid  her  in  an  upper 
chamber.  And  forasmuch  as  Lydda  AA'as  nigh  to 
Joppa,  and  the  disciples  had  heard  that  Peter  was 
there,  they  sent  unto  him  tAA^o  men,  desiring  him 
that  he  would  not  delay  to  come  to  them.  Then 
Peter  arose  and  AAent  AA'ith  them.  When  he  was 
come,  they  brought  him  into  the  upper  chamber; 
and  all  the  widows  stood  by  him  Aveeping,  and  shew- 
ing the  coats  and  garments  which  Dorcas  made, 
AAiiile  slie  A\as  Avith  them.  But  Peter  put  them  all 
forth,  and  kneeled  doAA^n,  and  prayed;  and  turning 
him  to  the  body  said,  Tabitha,  arise.  And  she  op- 
ened her  eyes  ;  and  when  she  saw  Peter,  she  sat  up." 
Acts  9  :3G-40. 

It  is  said  by  a  great  many  that  the  days  of  mira- 
cles are  past,  and  sad  to  say,  it  is  not  all  said  by 
the  enemies  of  God,  or  by  people  Avho  do  not  profess 
to  knoAA'  God,  but  by  many  who  profess  to  be  God's 
believing  children,  it  is  claimed  that  God  will  not, 
and  does  not,  raise  the  dead. 

While  preaching  near  Bishop ville.  South  Caro- 
lina, in  April,  1910,  the  Lord  laid  a  message  on  me 
on  Divine  Healing.  There  were  seA'eral  brother 
ministers  there ;  they  had  come  from  different  parts 
of  the  country  to  meet  me.  There  had  been  a  great 
havoc  made  of  the  church  there  because  of  differ- 
ences betAveen  some  of  the  brethern  avIio  were  min- 
isters, and  the  people  had  done  as  they  did  in  Paul's 
days  when  some  said  I  am  of  Paul  and  some  said  I 
am  of  Apollos:  and  I  of  Cephas:  and  I  of  Christ, 


now   I   GOT   lAITH  HI 

each  had  tlioir  rcspottivc  iniiiistci-.  The  {ouji lega- 
tion liad  most  all  hack-sliddcii,  and  they  were  hav- 
iufi'  no  nicetiniis.  We  Inul  Imhmi  preaching  for  several 
days  and  niiilits  Ix'foie  this  incident  occurred,  of 
whicli  1  am  about  to  speak,  and  the  people  had  be- 
come interested.  The  house  was  crowded,  and  a 
number  wei-e  out  of  doors.  Th(»  text  was  ITel)iews 
13  :S:  "Jesus  Clirist,  tlie  same  yesterday,  and.  todav, 
and  forever."  After  1  had  been  pT-eachin«i  for,  prob- 
ably, an  hour  and  a  half,  it  seemed  that  the  ])()Avers 
of  hell  came  aiiainst  me,  and  I  heard  a  noise,  as 
some  one  sti-uiiulinu  :  T  turned  and  looked  to  my  left 
just  in  time  to  see  a  woman  fall  into  anotlier  wom- 
an's arms.  The  thought  ^ruck  me  at  once  that  it 
was  a  ti'ick  of  the  devil  to  keep  this  message  fiom 
goinii  before  the  peo]>le.  T  kei)t  ])reaclnnii.  The 
sister  that  was  holding  the  woman  motioned  for  Sis- 
ters Lillian  and  Bertha  Brown;  they  Avent  to  her 
and  began  praying  in  secret.  The  husband  of  the 
woman  that  had  aj)pai-ently  died  came  crowding 
up:  he  and  his  chum  were  drunk.  I  i-ebuked  the 
devil,  and  Ood  held  them  in  check  until  I  finished 
the  sermon  ;  then  I  tuiiied  the  meeting  over  to  some 
of  the  brethern,  and  I  went  to  where  the  woman 
was.  So  far  as  I  could  see  she  Avas  dead.  Thei-e 
was  no  j)ulse  and  no  appearances  of  life.  Her 
drunken  husband  AA'as  trying  to  pull  hei-  out  of  the 
la])  of  the  sister  Avho  Avas  holding  her:  but  who  re- 
fused to  give  her  up.  1  ]nayed  foi-  her — she  rose  up 
and  fell  back.  I  i)rayed  the  second  tin)e  and  she  did 
not  i-ecover:  1  ])rayed  the  thiid,  and  fourth,  and 
fifth  time.  IJy  this  time  there  was  (piite  a  commo- 
tion in  the  back  of  the  house,,  and  one  fellow  got 
A'ery  boisterous,  and  said  that  he  would  Avatch  us 
and  see  that  she  Avas  not  slipped  out,  ami  he  Avould 
see  that  she  Avas  sent  out  of  thei-e  in  hei-  box.  So 
these  Avere  some  of  the  i-emarks  that  the  saints  and 
ministers  and  all  Avho  Avere  there  heard — all  looki'd 
scared — and  in  fact,  it  seemed  that  there  was  gi-eat 


32  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

trouble  pciuliiig'.  My  faith  was  in  God,  I  felt  that 
it  was  for  Ills  uloiT.  I  pushed  the  -wild  drunken 
mob  back,  laid  on  hands  again,  and  took  hold  of 
God's  promises  b}' faith,  claimed  her  life  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ;  piaying  God  to  defeat  the  devil, 
and  to  let  life  come  into  her  body,  and  prove  his 
power.  She  sprang  to  her  feet,  gave  a  shout,  walked 
out  of  there  alone,  and  got  into  the  buggy  with  her 
drunken  husband  and  Avent  home ;  and  was  back  to 
the  meeting  next  day,  all  right  so  far  as  we  could 
see.  This  convinced  manj^  It  reminded  me  of  the 
tumbling  of  the  walls  of  Jericho.  While  the  powers 
of  hell  were  against  us,  and  seemingly  the  heavens 
were  as  brass,  and  God  had  turned  a  deaf  ear,  every 
one  that  professed  to  know  God,  with  the  exception 
of  myself  and  company  of  workers,  and  the  Avoman 
Avho  held  the  Avoman  in  her  arms,  were  spell-bound, 
and  seemingly  faithless,  and  excited :  but  the  mo- 
ment that  she  sprang  to  her  feet  the  shouts  went 
OA^er  the  house,  and  the  ministry  gave  great  dem- 
onstrations, and  made  some  discussions  and  boasts 
about  God  manifesting  his  poAver.  There  are  a 
great  many  noAv,  like  those  in  the  olden  times  when 
they  could  not  shout  until  the  Avails  of  Jericho  had 
fallen.  God  Avants  a  ministry,  and  people  who  will 
stand  faithful  before  the  opposing  poAvers,  as  Elijah 
did  before  the  prophets  of  Baal,  and  knoAV  that  God 
Avill  ansAver  prayer.  Elijah  even  made  fun  of  them 
and  said,  "Cry  aloud  for  he  is  God:  either  he  is 
talking,  or  he  is  pursuing,  or  he  is  in  a  journey,  or 
peradventure  he  sleepeth,  and  nuist  be  aAvaked."  He 
had  not  prayed  yet,  but  he  had  no  fear;  he  knew 
that  God  Avould  hear  him  and  when  the  time  came 
for  him  to  call  on  his  God,  he  with  boldness  called 
on  God,  believing,  and  God  answered  by  fire,  and 
consumed  the  sacrifice  and  the  Avood;  and  the 
stones  and  the  dust  and  licked  up  the  Avater  that 
Avas  in  the  trench.  It  might  be  possible  that  some 
would  saA^  Ave  do  not  knoAv  Avhether  these  incidents 


now   I   GOT   TAITH  33 

Avhicli  I  relate  in  lliis  hook  aie  tJiic  or  not.  JJrotlicr 
Bi-owii  "wrote  so  iiuniy  tlii!i«>s  in  his  otliei-  l»ook  l)Ut 
never  gave  siitticieiit  ijroof  to  coiiviiice  ine  thai  it 
was  true.  1  want  to  ^ive  proof  in  these  incicU-nts 
that  I  speak  of,  so  thai  (Jcxl  niav  he  iihu-ilied  and 
people  convinced.  The  woman's  name  that  died,  as 
far  a«  we  could  tell,  was  lOstelJe  ( 'olhoiirii :  i  he  wom- 
an that  caught  her  in  her  arms  was  Mrs.  Minnie 
Caiifman  ;  one  of  tlie  ministers  |)resenl  was  .lohn 
Cheuning,  and  their  address  is  i;isli(>|»villc.  South 
Carolina. 

The  next  incident  that  comes  to  my  mind  was 
one  time  when  1  was  attending  the  camp-meeting 
at  Anderson,  Indiana:  the  tirst  one  that  was  held 
there,  and  it  was  held  in  a  large  tahernacle  near 
where  the  auditorium  now  stands  on  the  camp 
ground.  Sister  .Joyce  Myers  of  Louisville.  Ken- 
tticky.  was  preaching.  1  was  sitting  rather  toward 
the  hack  of  the  tahernacle,  and  just  as  1  turned  my 
liead  1  noticed  a  woman  walking  down  the  aisle. 
For  some  reason  1  looked  after  her,  1  know  not  why. 
All  at  once  she  droi)|)e(l  as  thotigh  she  had  heen 
shot.  1  saw  from  the  way  that  she  fell  that  she  had 
not  stumbled,  but  ha<l  just  simply  given  away  in 
lu'r  body  and  fell.  1  ran  to  her — she  seemingly  was 
dead,  no  pulse,  no  appearance  of  life--and  1  praye(l 
for  her — she  struggled  for  breath.  The  congrega- 
tion began  to  become  disturbed,  and  some  one  hol- 
lered otit,  "Keej)  still,  just  a  woman  caught  her  toe 
in  a  tent  rope,  ami  fell."  Just  then  lir(»ther  and 
Sister  L.  L.  Torter  came  to  me.  ^^'e  agreed  in  pray- 
er and  she  attem|ttc(l  to  ijiise  u|>  but  lell  ba(k--her 
eyes  glassed — and  from  cNciy  apj)earan<-e  the  last 
])article  of  breath  had  gone.  We  Iai<l  hands  on  her 
again,  and  rebuked  the  <h*vil  and  the  powers  of  hell, 
and  claimed  her  life  through  .lesus  Christ,  ami  com- 
ma nde(l  her  to  rise.  I  took  hold  of  her  tinder  one 
arm,  and  brother  IVuter  took  hold  of  the  other  arm, 
and  we  raised  her  to  her  feet,  and  slrenuth  came  to 


o4  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

lici'  body.  l>y  this  time  her  husband  (-aiue  to  where 
we  were,  and  h(;  took  hold  in  my  place,  and  he  and 
IJiotlicr  Porter  led  her  a  little  ways.  8he  looked 
up  and  said,  "1  am  very  hunji,ry.''  She  sat  down 
on  a  bench,  and  her  husband  Aveut  to  a  stand  and 
bought  her  some  bananas.  Brother  and  Sister  Por- 
ter and  I  Avent  to  the  tabernacle  and  sat  doAvn.  By 
this  time  she  was  eating  her  bananas.  Brother  Por- 
ter looked  out  and  said  to  me,  "Look  there,  twenty 
minutes  ago  she  was  in  eternity,  and  she  sits  on  a 
bench  noAv  eating  bananas."  It  was  someAvhat  a 
curiosity  to  me  the  Avay  the  Avoman  acted.  She  did 
not  even  seem  glad  that  she  had  come  to  life;  she 
gave  no  demonstration  of  thankfulness  or  joy.  She 
looked  sad  and  discouraged,  a  little  frightened, 
seemingly.  I  kept  studying  about  her  until  it 
seemed  that  I  must  meet  her  and  talk  Avith  her.  Af- 
ter meeting  Avas  disnnssed  I  found  her  in  the  hall 
at  the  Gospel  Trumpet  home.  I  asked  her  if  she 
cared  to  talk  to  me  a  little  Avhih^ — that  I  Avas  in- 
terested— she  said  that  she  did  not  care,  that  she 
Avould  talk  to  me.  I  told  her  that  her  case  Avas  a 
peculiar  one,  and  that  God  had  permitted  this  for 
a  purpose,  and  that  I  would  like  to  knoAA'  her  ex- 
perience, and  asked  her  if  she  had  ever  heard  the 
truth  before.  She  said  that  she  had  been  saved  and 
in  the  faith,  but  that  her  child  got  sick,  and  she 
trusted  the  Lord  to  heal  it,  but  it  died :  and  she 
blamed  the  ministers  because  they  let  her  child  die ; 
accused  them,  turned  against  the  truth,  and  had 
fought  it  and  opposed  it.  But  that  it  seemed  that 
she  could  not  resist  the  impression  to  go  to  that 
meeting ;  and  that  Avhile  she  tried  to  keep  from  go- 
ing the  impression  Avas  so  great  that  she  gave  Avay, 
and  went.  I  said,  ''Sister,  that  explains  the  whole 
matter.  God  has  permitted  you  to  have  this  experi- 
eji<.  e  that  yuu  might  knoAv  that  there  Avas  a  reality 
in  salvation,  iind  that  God's  word  is  true;  and  I 
feel  that  this  is  God's  last  call  to  you.*'    She  said 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  35 

tlmt  sht^  was  iiitcMHliiiji  to  u:o  home  that  ovoning.  I 
said,  "You  had  better  not  do  it :  do  not  leave  tliis 
ground  until  you  get  salvation."  I  left  her  undeeid- 
ed,  seemingly,  morv'  than  she  said,  she  was  con- 
viened,  and  that  she  aimed  to  get  saved.  Some 
years  later  I  was  preaching  in  the  chapel  at  the 
Gospel  Trumpet  Ollice  at  an  Assendily  meeting.  ] 
told  of  this  incident — and  some  others  in  my  preach- 
ing— as  I  was  ])reaching  on  divine  healing,  and  I 
said  that  I  did  not  learn  the  woman's  name,  and  I 
did  not  know  where  the  woman  lived,  and  did  not 
know  whether  any  one  in  the  house  knew  of  her  oi- 
not,  when  a  brother  si)oke  up  ajid  said,  "I  know  her, 
Brother  Jirown  :  I  was  witness  to  the  scene;  she 
lived  a  neighboi-  to  me;  she  got  saved,  died  in  the 
faith,  and  is  gone  home  to  glory."  I  did  not  know 
him  :  1  never  met  hiiii  any  more;  I  did  not  recognize 
his  face^vhen  he  spoke,  but  1  am  sure  that  some  who 
read  this  book  will  remember  this  incident  and  this 
statement. 

Another  incident  which,  now,  comes  to  my  ndnd, 
occui-ed  in  the  spring,  I  think,  in  1911 — I  am  not 
sure.  However,  I  was  attending  camp-meeting  at 
the  TrumiH't  Ofifice,  Anderson,  Indiana.  My  room 
Avas  on  the  thiid  fiooi-.  T  did  not  go  down  wlien  the 
rising  bell  rang,  and  did  not  go  down  stairs  until 
they  wei-e  having  prayer  in  the  chapel.  The  chapel 
door  which  o])ens  out  into  the  hall  was  open,  the 
cliaju'l  i-oom  was  tilled,  and  (|uite  a  nundjer  of  jk'o- 
l)le  had  knelt  in  the  hall.  I  knelt  down  by  a  table, 
dropped  my  head  over  on  the  table,  and  just  as  I 
knelt  I  heard  a  noise  as  if  something  had  hit  the 
floo!-,  but  thought  nothing  of  it.  Old  Mother  Wal- 
teis,  who  was  once  a  neighbor  of  mine  in  Kssex,  Il- 
linois, and  who  then  lived,  and  now  lives,  at  An- 
derson, Indiana,  (*ame  i-unning  to  me,  and  caught 
hold  of  me,  and  said.  "Come  hei'c,  there  is  a  man 
who  fell  dead."  1  went  with  her,  and  she  led  the 
Avay  :  we  i-eaclicd  the  inside  of  a  circle  of  people,  and 


36  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

soiiM*  brothei'ii  had  just  picked  a  iiitiii  up  otf  of  the 
fioor  and  Ijiid  him  on  a  IxMich.  His  eyes  looked 
glassy,  and  1  saw  no  sign  of  lllc,  hut  the  spirit  of 
God  impressed  me  to  pray  for  him.  I  saw  some 
bi-etheru,  in  the  ministry,  standing  there  Avho  did 
not  believe  in  miracles  of  this  kind;  and  1  had  been 
infoi-med  that  they  did  not  believe?  some  statements 
which  1  had  made  in  my  former  book.  The  thought 
came  to  me,  "If  3^ou  pray  for  him  and  he  is  not 
raised  up  it  Avill  only  be  the  worse  for  them,  and 
make  your  persecution  harder."  The  next  impres- 
sion came  from  God,  and  the  force  and  power  Avith 
which  it  came  Avas  too  great  for  me  to  i-esist;  I  re- 
buked the  devil  in  my  soul,  and  rushed  to  the  man 
and  laid  hands  on  him  and  rebuked  death,  and  the 
devil,  and  the  poAvers  of  hell,  and  claimed  his  life 
through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and  commanded  him 
to  arise ;  life  came  into  his  body,  and  he  arose  upon 
the  bench.  I  soon  Avas  croAvded  aAvay  by  people 
coming  to  see  him — I  gave  back — I  never  saAv  the 
man  any  more..  Mother  Walters  was  witness  to 
this.  She  is  Avell  knoAvn  by  the  Gospel  Trumpet 
family,  and  the  saints  at  Anderson,  Indiana:  also, 
some  of  the  saints  in  Chicago  knoAV  her,  and  many 
others.  I  told  of  this  incident  in  my  preaching  at 
the  same  time  I  told  of  the  former  incident  Avliich  1 
spoke  of;  Sister  Walters  was  present,  and  testified 
to  it  being  true.  I  hope  that  she  Avill  live  to  read 
this  book  and  testify  to  the  public  to  this  statement 
being  true. 

XoA\',  I  feel  that  it  Avould  be  to  the  glory  of  God 
for  me  to  make  a  little  explanation.  There  are 
many  people  Avho  think  that  if  you  pray  for  a  dead 
person,  and  they  come  to  life,  Avhy  not  pray  for  <iny 
one  who  is  dead.  I  Avould  say, that  the  prayer  of 
faith  is  dictated  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  AA-hei-e  the 
Holy  Ghost  does  not  dictate  or  impress  it  is  imijos- 
sible  for  the  prayer  of  faith  to  be  prayed.  All  those 
for  A\-hom  I  prayed,  that  Avere  dead,  that  I  have 


HOW   I   (.;()T  FA  IT  J I  :n 

spoken  of,  The  spirit  of  (Jod  impressed  luc  lo  piay, 
and  tlic  iiupicssion  was  ureat.  If  God  had  not  im- 
pressed n)e,  I  would  not  have  prayed  just  to  iiratify 
my  own  desire,  or  to  show  some  people  tliat  (Jod 
could  raise  <he  dea<l — there  would  luive  been  noth- 
ing done.  1  Jiave  been  calhMl  to  piay  for  many  peo- 
ple who  were  dead,  and  I  never  was  impresseil  to 
])ray  for  God  to  i-aise  any  one  from  the  dead,  but 
what  he  di<l  it. 


38  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTP]R  VII. 


And  tlicie  came  tliitlu'r  certain  Jews  from  An- 
tioch  and  Iconium,  who  persuaded  the  people,  and, 
having  stoned  Paul,  drew^  him  out  of  the  city,  sup- 
posing he  liad  been  dead.  Howbeit,  as  the  disciples 
stood  round  about  him,  he  I'ose  up,  and  came  into 
the  city ;  and  the  next  day  he  departed  with  Barna- 
bas to  Derbe.  And  when  they  had  preached  the  gos- 
pel to  that  city,  and  had  taught  many,  they  returned 
again  to  Lystra,  and  to  Iconium,  and  Antioch,  Con- 
firming the  souls  of  the  disciples,  and  exhorting 
them  to  continue  in  the  faith,  and  that  we  must 
through  nuich  tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God.    Acts  14 :19-22. 

In  the  latter  part  of  June,  1911,  I  went  from 
Anderson,  Indiana,  in  company  with  Brother  Rus- 
sel  Walter,  and  wife,  Lillian  and  Bertha  Brown,  to 
Calcutta,  West  Virginia,  to  hold  a  meeting.  It 
might  be  well  to  give  an  incident  at  the  beginning 
of  the  meetings  at  this  place. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1909,  I  received  a  letter 
from  a  Methodist  minister  named  F,  J.  Campbell, 
Calcutta,  West  Virginia,  stating  that  he  had  bee^i 
handed  my  book,  ''From  Infidelity  to  Christianity," 
and  had  read  the  same  and  had  become  interesl^d. 
Not  only  he,  but  most  of  his  church,  and  they  had 
decided  that  they  wanted  me  to  come  and  hold  a 
meeting,  and  that  if  I  would  come  that  he  would 
send  me  check  to  cover  my  expenses.  In  January, 
1910,  I  was  at  Palco,  Kansas,  and  answered  him 
from  there  telling  him  that  I  could  come  alone  a 
certain  time  in  the  spring  from  Louisana,  or  that  I 
could  wait  until  the  latter  part  of  July  and  bring 
my  company  from  North  Carolina,  where  I  would 
be  in  meetings  at  that  time.  He  wrote  back  stating 
that  the  latter  proposition  suited  him.  and  that  they 


HOW  I  GUT  rAlTlI  oD 

were  all  rejoicing  to  know  (Init  we  wonld  come,  and 
they  were  looking  Corward  to  that  time;  an<l  were 
already  making  preparations,  and  that  peo]>le  conld 
be  seen  standing  in  crowds  talking  abont  this  ex- 
pected meeting,  and  that  he  wonld  prei)are  a  plari; 
for  th(?  meeting,  as  tlieir  honse  wonld  not  be  large 
enough — thought  that  we  could  get  a  tabermiclc 

I  kept  up  a  correspondence  Avith  him,  and  when 
I  was  at  Sea  Grove,  Xorth  Carolina,  I  received  a 
letter  from  him,  with  check  enclosed  for  seventy-tive 
dollars,  to  pay  the  car  fare  of  my  conipany  and  my- 
self to  his  town.  When  1  arrived  1  found  him  a  very 
honest  man,  and  one  who  had  great  influence  among 
the  ])eople,  and  particularly  with  the  i)eoi)le  of  the 
Metliodist  chtirch  at  that  place.  lie  could  not  se- 
cure a  tabernacle,  so  he  had  put  seats  out  in  an  open 
place  by  the  mountains,  as  this  Avas  a  very  moiui- 
tainous  country,  and  had  built  a  staiul  for  the 
preachers  to  sit  on  and  to  ])r('ach  from.  The  meet- 
ing began  with  good  interest,  and  the  people  came 
in  great  crowds;  the  house  wotild  hold  the  people 
for  the  day  meetings,  but  we  i)reached  out  of  doors 
at  night  until  Sunday  there  came  a  wonderful  large 
crowd  and  we  had  the  meeting  out  of  doors,  and  tlie 
people  sat  out  in  the  hot  sun  on  those  ])lank  bench- 
es— men  with  their  hats  off  and  Avomen  wilh  para- 
sols ovei-  their  heads  lisleiiing  lo  the  gospel. 

Finally,  lirother  Campbell  i-ose  up  and  lold 
them  that  when  he  came  to  that  place  he  was  a 
Methodist,  and  had  Ihhmi  from  a  boy,  and  had  done 
the  very  best  that  he  knew  to  do,  and  had  walked  in 
all  the  light  tha  t  had  been  given  him  fr<>m  the 
Methodists;  but  after  reading  my  book  whicli  had 
been  handed  him,  on  the  first  day  ol  .hiimary,  he 
decided  that  he  Avas  not  saved,  and  made  his  snr- 
render  to  God,  and  God  saved  him,  and  now  he  had 
decided  that  sanctification  Avas  a  Hible  doctrine, 
and  that  he  Avas  seeking  and  longing  for  it.  That 
there  had  been  another  (juestion  in  his  mind,  and 


40    '  HOW  1  GOT  FAITH 

li(i  Wiis  piayiiijj;  that  God  would  give  him  iiiider- 
staudiiig,  and  that  more  than  likely  they  would  see 
that  he  would  take  his  tie  off,  as  he  was  getting 
souiewdiat  bothered  about  it.  So  in  a  night  or  tAvo 
he  came  Avithout  his  tie,  and  w^ent  to  the  altar  and 
conseci-ated  for  sanctilication,  arose  and  told  them 
that  he  saw  the  light  on  secret  orders,  the  one 
church,  and  he  made  a  clean  sweep  of  the  "whole 
thing,  that  he  had  written  letters  that  w^ere  uoaa*  on 
the  way  to  conference  notifying  them  that  he  had 
resigned  as  preacher,  also  as  President  of  the  Ep- 
worth  League;  also  a  number  of  other  positions  in 
the  Methodist  church,  and  that  he  had  also  sent 
notices  to  the  lodges  to  AA'hich  he  belonged  and  noti- 
fied them  that  he  had  receiAed  light  on  the  same, 
and  saAv  they  Avere  wrong  and  Avithdrew  himself 
from  them;  and  that  now  he  had  consecrated  his 
life  to  God  and  had  done  all  that  he  kncAA^  to  do  and 
Avas  sanctified  by  faith. 

On  the  next  evening  he  testified  that  he  Avas  sat- 
isfied and  had  the  AVT.tness  that  the  Avork  would  be 
done  that  he  had  done  all  he  knew  to  do  and  took  it 
by  faith,  but  did  not  receive  the  exijerience  just 
then.  He  prayed  in  his  office  that  night  before  re- 
tiring, and  Avent  to  sleep  studying  about  the  mat- 
ter. He  Avoke  up  and  said  that  he  felt  happy, 
and  before  he  Avas  entirely  aAvake  it  came  to  him 
that  it  seemed  something  like  when  he  was  a  boy 
and  Avas  counting  the  days  and  hours  when  hie 
Avould  see  grandma.  That  the  thought  struck  him 
that  he  was  a  man  and  those  days  are  past,  by  that 
time  ''I  was  fully  aAvake  and  all  at  once  such  great 
joy  flooded  my  soul,  and  it  came  to  me  that  I  was 
sanctified;  and  had  taken  the  Lord  as  my  healer, 
and  never  expect  to  take  another  dose  of  medicine, 
and  intend  to  preach  the  pure  gospel  as  the  Lord 
giA'es  me  light  on  it."  The  same  day  they  sent  a 
preacher  down  to  shut  us  out  of  the  house,  and 
made  quite  a  stir.       Some  of  the  people  turned 


HOW   I   (iOT   FAIT II  41 

against  the  truth,  sonic  stnv  the  li.uht  and  stepped 
out  on  the  promises  of  (Jod,  so  tlie  nieetiiiii  closed 
and  we  left. 

Bi-othei-  Tulh'V  iJeddin.ufield  and  wife,  and  Lil- 
lian and  Bertha  liiown  were  with  me  in  this  meet- 
ing. The  people  insisted  that  we  should  i-etuin  lat- 
er and  hold  another  meeting.  So  the  next  -lune  I 
went  from  Anderson,  Indiana,  cami)-nieeting,  in 
company  with  Brother  Walker  and  wife,  and  Sis- 
ters Jjillian  and  Bertha  Brown,  and  held  another 
meeting  in  the  tabernacle  on  the  same  ground.  The 
powers  of  dai-kness  came  against  us,  and  !<eemingly 
no  one  was  going  to  accept  the  ti-uth,  and  the  enemy 
began  to  rage  and  the  report  was  we  were  tearing 
up  the  Methodist  church,  and  that  Campbell  had 
gone  crazy  and  should  be  driven  out  of  the  country. 
There  Avere  a  few  came  in  from  different  places,  and 
one  Avas  Brother  Whitecotton.  One  night  while 
Brother  Walker  was  preaching  I  heard  a  loud  noise 
otit  of  doors — there  seemed  to  be  (piite  a  commotion. 
Brotlier  Campbell  got  u\)  and  w;ilked  out — 1  heard 
swearing — and  then  it  seemed  that  a  gun  was  tired 
and  something  fell  against  the  side  of  the  tent. 
Brothel-  Walker  had  stopped  preaching  about  this 
time,  and  the  j)eo])le  all  came  croAvding  from  the 
back  of  the  tent  towards  the  center  of  the  (aberna, 
cle,  and  I  jumped  up  and  began  singing.  Brother 
AVhitecotton  came  in  and  told  me  that  they  had 
shot  lirother  Campbell.  I  started  to  go  to  him  and 
they  caught  me  and  Avould  not  let  me  go,  and  1  lold 
Brother  Whitecotton  to  go  out  and  help  bring  him 
in.  As  they  brought  him  to  the  door  I  met  him. 
There  Avas  a  man  on  each  side  of  him  holding  him 
up  and  he  Avas  as  pale  as  death  and  the  blood  Avas 
flowing  doAvii  off  his  face,  saturating  his  clothing. 
He  began  to  sink  doAvn,  and  they  sat  him  doAvn  on 
the  bench.  I  laid  hands  on  him  and  told  him  to  look 
to  God,  and  claim  life  through  the  ]>romises  of  Jesus 
Christ.     I  prayed  and  he  revived  a   little,  then   la- 


42  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

bei>aii  to  sink  away  again  and  I  saw  the  man  was 
breathing  hard.  I  said,  ''AVhere  is  he  shot?"  They 
said,  "He  is  not  shot  at  all,  he  is  cnt  to  the  skull 
hei-e  on  top  of  his  liead."  By  this  time  his  nniscles 
and  nerves  were  jerking,  and  his  head  dropped  over 
as  if  his  life  was  going  out  of  him.  The  spirit  of 
God  impressed  me  to  claim  his  life  by  faith.  I  said, 
"Brother  Campbell,  cheer  up,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  take  a  stand  for  your  life."  We  prayed,  re- 
buked the  powers  of  hell  and  death,  and  asked  God 
to  stop  the  flow  of  blood  and  to  put  strength  and 
life  into  his  body.  He  arose  instantly  and  said, 
"Praise  God,  it's  done.  Brother  Brown,  let  us  go 
home."  Just  at  that  moment,  the  sinner  that  Avas 
holding  his  head  said  that  as  soon  as  I  said  "Amen" 
that  the  blood  stopped,  and  there  had  been  running 
a  stream  as  big  as  his  finger.'  Someone  said  that  it 
stopped  before  we  prayed.  The  sinner  said,  "Xo,  it 
did  not  until  he  said  amen."  I  turned  and  saw  a 
commotion  around  a  bench  and  was  informed  that 
Sister  Walker  had  fainted.  Brother  Campbell  and 
Sisters  Browji  went  with  me  and  laid  hands  on  her 
and  agreed  with  me  in  prayer  that  God  would  raise 
her  up,  Avhich  he  did,  and  they  both  walked  home,  a 
distance  of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  The  next 
morning  Brother  Campbell  Avas  able  to  go  about  his 
business,  the  gash  was  in  his  head,  but  no  soreness. 
The  outlaAvs  that  tried  to  break  up  the  meeting,  and 
tried  to  kill  him,  left  the  country,  and  the  meeting 
went  on.  Quite  a  number  accepted  the  truth  and 
were  baptized. 

I  was  called  from  there  to  Elgin,  Oklahoma,  to 
IDray  for  Sister  May — the  two  Sisters  Brown  went 
to  Birmingham,  Alabama ;  to  where  we  had  prom- 
ised to  begin  meeting,  and  Brother  and  Sister  Wal- 
ker stayed  and  continued  the  meeting,  and  quite  a 
number  more  accepted  the  truth.  Since  that  time 
there  have  been  a  number  accepted  the  truth  in  that 
country,  and  they  have  built  a  new  meeting  house, 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  4:5 

and  I  had  a  letter  from  ]>i-otli('i-  CaiiiiilM'll  a  lew 
days  aiio  statiii.u  that  lie  was  pastor  of  the  church 
there,  and  was  preaching  the  gospel  in  all  its  ful- 
ness. I  went  from  there  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  on  ni.v 
way  to  Oklahoma,  preached  one  uight  and  went  on 
to  I'vlg'in,  Oklahoma,  reaching  thei-e  late  in  the  even- 
ing. Was  met  at  the  depot  by  l>rother  May:  Ave 
reached  his  home  and  found  his  wife  in  a  very  seri- 
ous condition — had  been  confined  to  the  bed  foi-  a 
time — but  said  that  she  knew  that  (lod  would  heal 
her  when  1  jn-ayed  for  her.  After  talking  with  hei- 
awhile,  giving  her  the  promises  of  God,  I  anointed 
her  and  praycMl  for  her  healing,  and  she  arose  out  of 
the  bed  and  said  that  it  was  done. 

lii'other  May  and  I  went  out  to  the  barn — the 
wind  was  blowing  very  hard,  and  we  looked  and 
saw  his  wife  on  her  way  up  to  a  sect  preachers  house 
who  knew  about  her  affliction  and  said  that  if  she 
was  healed  he  would  believe  in  our  faith.  It  seemed 
that  the  wind  would  blow  her  down  sometimes — 
she  Avas  very  weak  and  thin  in  flesh,  having  been 
sick  so  long.  Brother  May  .started  towaids  her;  I 
said,  ''Let  her  go:  if  God  is  sending  liei-  he  will  take 
care  of  her."  AVe  Avatched  her  until  she  reached  the 
preacher's  yard ;  and  the  neighbors  who  knew  of  her 
being  sick,  together  with  the  ]»reacher  and  his  wife, 
came  to  meet  her  in  the  yard.  They  had  (|uite  an 
exciting  time,  and  she  preached  to  theui.  Slie  cauie 
on  back  home,  still  rejoicing.  Said  she  was  healed. 
In  a  short  tiine  the  preacher  came  down  and  had  a 
talk  with  me,  and  told  lue  that  he  was  glad  that  I 
had  come,  and  that  he  had  received  light  on  the 
scriptures,  and  said  that  he  would  come  to  hear  me 
preach  that  night.  I  preached  in  a  dwelling  in  town 
that  night;  he  and  his  wife  were  theie,  and  took 
part  in  the  singing  and  sat  on  the  front  seat.  After 
meeting  was  over  he  shook  hands  with  me  and  told 
me  that  he  enjoyed  the  meeting,  that  he  was  thor- 
OUiihlv  convinced,  and  ihat  if  T  would  stav  and  hold 


44  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

a  iiieetiiig  that  lie  Avould  turn  liis  iiit'eting-  house 
over  to  me ;  but  it  was  inipossibki  for  me  to  stay  then 
on  account  of  the  arrangements  I  had  made  to  hold 
a  month's  meeting  in  Birmingham,  Alabama. 
He  said  if  I  Avould  return  later  he  would  let  me  have 
the  house. 

In  August,  following,  I  met  Brother  and  Sister 
May  at  Oklahoma  City  camp-meeting.  She  was 
still  rejoicing  in  the  Lord,  and  said  the  preacher 
was  still  willing  for  me  to  have  the  house  to  hold 
the  meeting,  but  as  yet  I  have  never  been  able  to  re- 
turn,   I  do  not  knoAV  what  has  become  of  him. 

I  have  Avitnessed  a  number  of  experiences  sim- 
ilar to  this,  in  my  late  ministry,  and  I  am' glad  that 
I  am  still  able  to  testify  that  God  is  just  the  same, 
and  manifesting  his  power  the  same  as  he  did  in  the 
beginning  of  my  ministry  nineteen  years  ago.  My 
faith  in  God  has  not  weakened,  mj''  trust  is  in  Him, 
the  same:  and  I  expect  to  stay  in  the  faith  that  I 
began  in  while  God  lets  me  live. 

One  time,  while  holding  meeting  at  a  certain 
place,  an  old  lady  who  had  been  attending  the  meet- 
ing very  regularly,  and  was  crippled,  hobbled  on 
canes,  and  could  scarcely  Avalk  without  helj),  if  I 
remember  correctlj^,  she  was  seventy  years  old — ■ 
she  and  her  husband  came  to  the  altar,  and  he 
claimed  to  be  saved.  He  had  a  cancer  on  his  face 
and  wanted  to  be  healed.  The  old  lady  surrendered 
to  God  and  got  saved,  then  wanted  prayer  for  the 
healing  of  her  body.  AVe  i^rayed  for  her  and  the 
Lord  healed  her.  She  jumped  up,  and  leaping,  Avent 
away  from  the  altar ;  said  she  Avas  healed.  The  man 
claimed  to  get  healed,  but  I  ncA'er  heard  from  him. 
I  haA'e  learned  since  that  the  old  ladA'  is  still  healed. 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  45 


CHArXEK  Vlll. 


"And  it  came  to  pass.  wIumi  Jesus  had  iiia<l('  an 
end  of  commanding  his  twelve  disci [>k's,  lie  depart- 
ed thence  to  teach  and  to  preach  in  their  cities.  Now 
Avhen  John  had  heard  in  tlie  prison  the  works  of 
Christ,  he  sent  two  of  his  disciples,  and  said  unto 
Mm,  Art  thou  he  that  should  come,  or  do  we  look  for 
another?  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  tliem.  Go 
and  shew  John  again  those  things  whicli  ye  do  hear 
and  see :  The  blind  receive  their  sight,  and  the  lame 
Avalk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear,  the 
dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  gospel 
preached  to  them.  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever 
shall  not  be  offended  in  me."  Matthew  11 :!-(). 

There  are  many  today  who  are  looking  and  wait- 
ing for  the  millenium;  for  this  prophecy  to  be  fid- 
filled  Avhen  all  manner  of  diseases  will  be  healed, 
and  the  devil  defeated,  and  the  people  i)ermitted  To 
walk  and  talk  Avitli  Jesus  and  enjoy  full  salvation. 
But  I  am  glad  that  there  are  a  fcAV  in  the  Avorld  that 
have  found  out  that  it  is  their  privilege  to  reign 
with  one  Christ  Jesus  in  this  world  over  sin,  sick- 
ness an<l  disease,  an<l  that  he  is  just  as  able  to  heal 
today  as  when  he  walked  upon  earth. 

In  April,  1913,  I  received  a  letter  from  Brother 
(Ulbert  Erickson,  Pomona,  California.  He  stated 
that  his  horse  liad  run  away  and  thrown  him  out  of 
the  wagon,  and  broke  his  lower  limb,  l)esi<les  injur- 
ing him  otherAvise,  and  reipiested  me  to  pray  for 
him,  which  I  did.  We  corresponded  for  a  while.  He 
told  me  tliat  he  Avas  in  a  hospital  under  the  «are  of 
a  doitor,  but  Avas  trusting  the  Lord.  IMiially  he 
Avrote  telling  me  that  there  Avas  another  biother 
there  attlicted  Avith  tuberculosis,  and  that  they  had 
agreed  to  send  me  my  fare  there  and  return,  if  I 
Avould  come  and  pray  for  them.    Some  time  in  -May, 


4G  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

following,  they  sent  the  fare,  and  I  went,  leaving  my 
company,  Avho  had  traveled  with  me  overland,  at 
Clovis,  Kew  Mexico.  I  went  to  get  my  ticket  at 
Clovis,  and  the  agent  informed  me  that  he  had  re- 
ceived a  telegram  from  the  superintendent  advising 
him  to  give  me  a  ticket  for  Lordsburg,  California, 
instead  of  Pomona,  California.  I  accepted  the  tick- 
et and  went  to  Lordsburg,  arriving  there  in  the 
morning.  Some  children  met  me  at  the  depot  and 
told  me  that  they  were  sent  after  me.  I  went  with 
them  to  the  house,  and  was  informed  by  the  mother 
that  the  brother  that  had  tuberculosis  would  meet 
me  there  in  a  short  time,  as  he  would  come  on  the 
trolley  car  from  Pomona,  and  that  his  name  was 
Unruh.  He  and  his  wife  soon  arrived.  He  seemed 
to  be  in  the  last  stage  of  tuberculosis  of  the  lungs 
and  glands,  and  I  was  sure  that  if  God  did  not  do 
something  for  him  he  would  not  be  in  this  world 
long.  He  told  me  that  there  were  arrangements 
made  for  me  to  preach  at  Pomona  that  afternoon  in 
the  saints  meeting  house,  and  we  were  taken  over 
in  a  carriage.  I  preached  that  afternoon  and  night, 
and  the  next  day  Brother  Unruh,  his  Avife,  and  I 
went  to  see  Brother  Erickson,  Avho  then  had  been 
brought  from  the  hospital,  and  was  at  home.  I 
found  him  lying  on  his  back  Avith  his  foot  propped 
up  in  a  frame.  Said  he  could  not  work  his  toes.  He 
told  me  that  when  his  horse  became  frightened  it 
threw  him  over  the  dashboard,  his  foot  hung  in  one 
side  of  the  shafts  and  he  caught  ■v\itli  his  hands  the 
other  shaft:  his  body  hanging  down  and  dragging 
the  ground.  The  horse  Avould  run  upon  the  curb 
stone,  then  back  into  the  street.  After  going  some 
distance  he  saw  some  people  who  had  just  come  out 
from  meeting,  Avhich  had  been  dismissed.  He  hoped 
that  they  Avould  stop  the  horse,  but  they  could  not 
stop  him.  After  i)assing  the  people  he  saw  that  his 
only  hope  was  in  God,  and  he  said,  "O,  Lord,  stop 
the    horse" — he     said    the    horse    checked:     this 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  47 

strcMigtlieiied  his  faith.  He  called  on  God  again, 
and  he  stopped  instantly.  The  people  came  inn- 
ninii'  to  the  wauon,  got  liold  of  the  horse  and  Ix'gan 
to  release  his  foot  from  the  sliafts.  Tlic  otlier  foot 
was  hanging  loose  with  the  ankle  broken ;  the  foot 
was  turned  around  and  the  heel  was  where  the  toes 
ought  to  be,  tlie  bones  protruded  out  of  tlic  skin  and 
had  stuck  into  tlie  ground.  He  said  he  did  not  know 
that  his  foot  was  broken  until  he  attempted  to  stand 
on  it.  They  wanted  a  doctor,  but  he  objected,  and 
wanted  the  brethern,  which  were  sent  for ;  but  be- 
fore they  arrived  he  Avas  taken  to  the  liospital.  Tliey 
Avanted  to  give  him  chloroform  and  liave  tlie  foot 
set.    At  first  he  objected,  but  finally  consented. 

He  had  been  in  this  position  for  some  time,  lying 
on  his  l)ack  Avith  his  foot  i)roi)ped  u}).  1  talked  Avith 
him,  and  he  said  he  kncAV  that  God  Avonld  heal  him. 
Said  that  his  object  in  sending  for  me  Avas  that  he 
Avanted  a  man  who  believed  in  God.  He  kncAv  that 
God  gives  his  ministers  power  today.  That  he  had 
talked  to  some,  and  they  hid  behind  Timot  hy's  Avine, 
and  the  man  that  Paul  had  left  behind  liim  sick, 
and  did  not  have  faith  to  pray  for  him. 

I  assured  him  that  God  could  heal  him  as  Avell 
as  the  lame  man  that  Avas  at  the  gate  of  the  temple 
Avho  never  had  Avalked.  I  prayed  for  him,  and  Avith 
help  to  hold  his  foot  up  he  got  up  and  sat  in  his 
chair  Avith  his  foot  prop])('d  in  anotlici-  chair.  Time 
came  to  go  ])ack  to  meeting  and  I  left  him  pi'opjM'd 
that  Avay,  but  agreed  Avith  liim  in  ])raycr  while 
aAvay,  and  on  the  next  day  I  Avent  back  to  sec  him. 
He  Avas  im])roved  and  nnicli  encouraged,  and  I 
])i-ay(Ml  for  him  and  told  him  that  the  ]»n)phct  said 
to  llc/ckiah,  '"You  shall  go  U})  to  the  honse  of  the 
Lord  in  three  days,"  and  that  I  expected  him  to 
come  to  meeting  Sunday.  He  said  if  the  Lord  shoAV- 
ed  him  to  come  he  Avould  com<'.  I  said,  "Do  not  go 
beyond  your  faith.  If  youi'  faith  takes  hold  of  (Jod, 
God  Avill  take  care  of  vou.''    So  on  Sunday  morning 


48  now  I  COT  FAITH 

a  bi'otluM-  biouglit  liiiii  in  a  car.  Thcv  took  him  out 
of  the  car,  one  biother  on  each  side  of  hiiii — he  hob- 
bled along — and  another  brother  lield  his  foot  up. 
He  snt  there  and  listened  to  the  sermon.  As  I 
preached  on  divine  healing,  tears  woidd  floAV  down 
his  face.  When  I  presented  the  altar,  a  nund^er 
came.  He  was  already  sitting  at  the  altar.  I  prayed 
for  Brother  Unruh,  of  whom  I  have  just  spoken.  He 
seemed  to  get  the  witness  of  his  healing,  and  his 
faith  took  hold  of  the  Lord,  and  he  was  much  en- 
couraged. 

I  prayed  for  Sister  Mullins,  who  had  sometime 
before  been  confined  to  her  Avlieel  chair,  and  could 
not  walk  at  all :  she  had  written  to  me  requesting 
prayer  for  her  healing,  and  that  an  anointed  hand- 
kerchiief  be  sent  to  her:  this  was  done  and  after  ap- 
plying the  handkerchief  she  Avas  completely  healed 
of  her  lameness,  but  she  was  afflicted  yevj  badly 
otherwise.  She  was  trusting  the  Lord  to  heal  her, 
but  it  seemed  that  her  afflictions  baffled  her  faith, 
and  she  had  failed  to  get  any  relief.  But  when 
prayer  was  offered,  her  faith  took  hold  of  God  and 
she  was  healed  at  this  time.  Brother  Erickson  was 
prayed  for  and  stood  up,  putting  his  lame  foot  to 
the  floor.  He  said  he  was  a  little  afiaid  to  step.  I 
said,  ••Don't  go  beyond  your  faith.'*  He  said. 
"Praise  God!  that  is  the  first  time  that  foot  has 
been  on  the  floor  for  ten  weeks." 

There  Avere  a  number  of  others  Avho  came  for 
prayer  for  their  afflictions,  but  I  do  not  remember 
their  afflictions.  There  Avere  some  people  Avho 
brought  a  little  boy  to  the  altar,  who  had  fallen 
from  a  bridge  and  had  injured  his  spine;  and  Ms 
head  Avas  injured,  Avhicli  caused  him  to  lose  his 
sight.  His  body,  seemingly,  had  stopped  growing, 
and  he  could  not  use  his  lower  limbs.  I  tried  in  the 
preaching,  and  through  talking  to  them  privately, 
to  exxdain  to  them  Avhat  they  AA'ould  haAe  to  do  for 
God  to  heal  the  child.     They  had  a  gold  pin  on  the 


now  1  GOT  FAITH  49 

child,  ;ni«l  oihci-  tilings  which  the  word  of  God  con- 
deiiiiis.  I  tried  to  get  them  to  line  up  to  God's  word, 
but  they  failed  to  do  it.  Of  course  they  cried  and 
wept,  but  this  does  not  bring  healing.  ()l)edience 
to  (}()d  it  better  than  sacritice.  1  could  not  pray  the 
prayer  of  faith  for  the  child — God  knows  all  about 
it.  The  prayer  of  faith  is  dictated  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  If  there  is  anything  that  hinders  the  ])rayer 
of  faith,  we  may  not  know  what  It  is,  but  (Jod  does 
know,  and  he  will  never  break  his  pl;Mi  of  salvation, 
or  bend  the  scriptures  for  any  one's  tears  or  sym- 
pathy. 

While  preaching  there  1  saw  two  men  walk  in 
at  the  door — men  t hat  1  was  raised  with  and  played 
with  when  we  were  boys.  After  I  dismissed  the  con- 
gregation-I  talked  with  them:  and  we  said  quite  a 
good  i\vd\  about  the  past.  1  introduced  one  of  them 
to  a  biother  and  said,  "This  is  Mr.  Kb  Dossett,  who 
once  sold  whiskey  and  I  drank  it."  Dos.sett  threw 
his  arms  around  me  and  said.  "Yes,  praise  God  I 
have  (|uit  selling  it  and  you  have  (jult  drinking  it, 
and  we  are  both  serving  God  and  going  to  heaven 
together.''  The  other  one  was  .John  Demeries — he 
lived  at  Kedland,  California:  and  Dossett  lived  on 
Rebecca  Street,  Pomona.  Galifornia.  There*  were 
things  that  hai>pened  in  my  l>oyhood  days  tliat  made 
both  these  men  seem  very  near  to  uh\  When  1  was 
a  boy.  and  forced  to  leave  home  on  account  of  my 
stei>-niother,  VA)  Dossctt's  father  took  me  into  his 
arms,  and  into  his  home,  and  took  the  jdace  of  my 
(►wn  father  and  ga\'e  me  a  home.  I  speak  of  this 
incident  in  my  book  which  1  wrole  eiil  illed  :  "Fi-om 
Infidelity  1o  Christianity."  \\'c  had  lo  say  good-bye 
— (1<)  not  know  that  T  will  ever  meet  them  again  on 
this  side  of  eleijiily.  IJrcdhcr  Dciiieiies'  danghler 
was  with  him.  8he  was  a  liiMc  uirl  when  they 
lived  neighbors  to  me  at  Marion,  J\entucky.  As  she 
told  me  good-bye.  she  gave  me  a  piece  of  money  to 
help  me  on  my  journey. 


50  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

I  went  ill  a  car  from  I'oiiiona  to  Wliitlicr,  Cali- 
fornia— a  distance  of  about  twenty-six  miles.  It 
was  announced  that  I  would  be  there,  and  when  we 
arrived  at  the  large  meeting  house  it  was  filled  with 
people.  They  were  singing — had  had  prayer — and 
when  singing  was  over  I  stepped  into  the  pulpit 
and  preached  on  divine  healing,  and  what  it  took  to 
get  healing.  At  the  close  of  the  sermon  I  presented 
the  altar,  and  a  woman  was  led  to  the  altar,  who 
fell  down  on  her  knees,  and  a  few  more  came  for 
prayer.  I  spoke  to  this  woman,  and  she  told  me 
that  she  was  blind,  and  that  she  expected  to  see 
when  I  j>iayed  for  her ;  and  while  I  prayed  for  her 
she  screamed  out  just  at  the  time  I  said,  "Amen," 
and  sprang  to  her  feet,  saying,  "I  see,  I  see.  Good 
people,  I  see."  This  made  quite  a  stir  for  some  time. 
I  began  to  make  my  way  to  the  door,  as  it  was  an- 
nounced that  I  would  preach  at  Long  Beach,  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  time  to  start  Avas  up.  They  kept 
coming  for  prayer,  and  finally  when  I  was  pushing 
my  way  through  the  crowd  to  the  door,  a  young  lady 
came  running  and  fell  down  on  her  knees,  and  said 
that  she  wanted  salvation.  We  prayed  for  her ;  she 
got  up  and  said  that  she  was  saved. 

Again  I  started,  and  as  I  got  to  the  car,  Sister 
Warner,  Brother  Warner's  wife,  who  is  well  known, 
was  there  to  get  into  the  car  to  go  to  the  same  place 
for  lunch  to  which  I  was  going  before  starting  on 
my  journey.  She  Avas  blind,  and  had  been  for  some 
time :  she  said  they  insisted  on  her  being  prayed 
for ;  but  that  she  did  not  have  the  faith,  and  could 
not  grasp  it.  I  told  her  it  would  be  impossible  for 
me  to  heal  her,  that  God  Avould  have  to  do  the  Avork 
and  he  could  not  unless  she  had  faith  in  him.  She 
said  she  understood  that,  and  that  it  would  be  use- 
less to  pray  when  she  could  not  exercise  faith.  She 
also  said  that  there  had  been  a  time  Avhen  she  felt 
like  if  she  had  some  one  to  agree  with  her  in  prayer 
that  she  could  have  had  faith  for  her  healing,  but 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  51 

it  was  not  now.  I  agreed  to  lenieniber  her  in  prayer 
tliat  (}o<l  would  streiiiitlu'ii  lici-  faitli  and  tliat  He 
would  help  h<*r  to  conR*  to  a  point  wlicie  she  could 
exercise  faith  for  her  healing.  I  have  not  heard 
from  her  since,  and  do  not  know  where  she  is. 

I  reached  the  meeting-house  at  Long  Beach,  Cal- 
ifornia, about  7 :.')()  p.  ni.  Thev  had  had  prayei-  and 
were  already  singing  and  waiting  lor  preaching. 
Here  I  met  Brother  George  Bolds  and  wife  and  a 
number  of  others  I  knew.  I  took  the  pulpit,  and 
l>rea(he(l  on  the  sid)ject  of  healing  and  what  it  took 
to  get  healed,  presented  the  altar  and  a  number 
came  for  prater.  I  exhorted  them  all  to  begin  to 
call  on  God  for  what  they  wanted,  and  to  expect 
God  to  heal  tluMu,  and  not  to  expect  anything  else 
but  that  God  would  heal  them. 

I  saw  a  man  at  the  altar  and  noticed  that  he  was 
taking  part  in  the  singing,  and  I  said  to  him, 
''Brother,  get  hold  of  God  in  i)rayer.*'  and  I  came 
very  near  i-ebuking  him,  because  I  thought  he  did 
not  realize  what  he  was  there  for.  1  prayed  for  sev- 
eral others  and  came  to  him.  I  said  to  him,  "Do 
you  believe  that  God  will  heal  you?*'  He  said,  ''I 
know  it,  or  I  would  not  have  come  here  for  healing. 
I  have  been  looking  forward  to  this  time,  and  I  ex- 
pect to  be  healed.-'  1  did  not  know  what  his  afflic- 
tion was,  but  it  seemed  that  God  inspired  faith  in 
my  heart  foi-  him,  and  1  said,  "All  right,  if  you 
know  it,  that  is  suflicient,  let  us  pray."  I  prayed 
with  him,  and  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  began  to 
rejoice,  leaped,  and  said  he  was  healed.  I  noticed 
that  he  atti-actc*!  <|uite  a  good  deal  of  attention,  yet, 
I  did  not  know  who  he  was  or  what  his  aCllictiou 
was.  1  ])rayed  for  something  like  one  hundred  oth- 
ers. 

Finally  I  was  called  to  a  man  in  a  wheel  chaii". 
I  questioned  him  very  closely.  Xo  one  else  said 
anything,  and  they  were  ac(piainted  with  him,  and 
he  would  say,  "Yes,  yes,''  to  everything.     I  asked 


52  now   I  (H)T   FAITH 

him  if  he  used  remedies.  He  said,  "Xo."  Brotliers 
and  sisters  were  standing  around  there  wlio  knew 
him,  but  they  said  nothing.  1  said,  ''Wlien  I  say 
'Amen/  will  you  jump  out  of  this  chair?"'  He  said, 
'^I  will  try."  I  said,  "I  did  not  say,  'will  you  try,' 
but,  'will  you  do  it?' ''  He  said,  "Yes."  I  did  not 
feel  right  about  praying  for  him.  It  seemed  tluit 
there  was  something  in  the  way,  but  I  could  not 
find  what  it  Avas,  and  if  I  did  not  pray  for  him  I 
would  be  accused  of  showing  partiality.  I  prayed; 
he  made  an  effort  to  jump  out  of  his  chair,  but  could 
not  get  up  without  help.  I  told  him  thei-e  Avas  some- 
thing wrong.  >:Some  one  spoke  to  him  about  his  us- 
ing Dr.  Yoakum's  Electric  Battery  that  Yoakum 
sold  him,  and  other  things,  and  about  being  treated 
by  an  osteopath  doctor.  This  showed  very  plain  to 
me  why  he  could  not  have  faith,  and  why  I  could  not 
have  faith  to  pray  for  him. 

Strange,  but  true,  people  will  lie  to  God  as  An- 
anias and  Sapphira  did,  and  by  so  doing  reproach 
the  cause  of  God  and  bring  damnation  on  their 
own  souls.  This  man  brought  nothing  but  condem- 
nation to  his  soul,  helped  the  gain  sayers  to  doubt 
God,  and  talk  about  how  God  Avould  not  heal. 

About  this  time  a  sister  called  the  attention  of 
the  congregation  and  said  that  this  brother — the 
one  who  was  singing  at  the  altar — wanted  to  testi- 
fy. He  testified  to  having  tuberculosis  of  the  bone. 
That  his  lower  limbs  had  been  helpless,  and  that  he 
Avas  unable  to  get  to  his  feet  Avithout  help,  and  could 
not  bear  his  Aveight  on  his  limbs.  "  He  leaped  and 
stamped  his  feet  on  the  floor  and  said  that  he  Avas 
healed.  I  do  not  knoAA'  his  name,  but  Brother 
George  Bolds,  Long  Beach,  California,  knows  him 
and  can  testify  if  you  doubt  it. 

I  left  Long  Beach  the  next  morning  and  started 
for  Pheonix,  Arizona ;  reached  there  the  following 
morning,  and  my  wife  and  son,  Anderson,  met  me 
at  the  depot — she  had  been  A'isitiug  him  since  Hanu- 


now   I   GOT   1  AITH  53 

ary.  He  was  i)ast()riii.u  the  chuicli  at  that  place. 
We  Avent  to  their  looms,  and  lie  liad  bieaktast  pre- 
pared for  us  at  a  boaidinu  house.  After  coiiiiui: 
back  to  my  Avife's  room — she  and  I  Avere  talking — 
and  AnchMson  caHed  me  to  his  loom  and  said  that 
there  Avas  a  eouph'  Avho  Avanted  me  to  marry  tliem 
that  nijiht,  I  said.  '"Who  are  tliey?"  He  handed  me 
a  marriage  license.  I  looked  over  it  and  saw  that 
it  Avas  himself  and  Miss  Ruth  Keeraii.  I  preached 
to  a  large  congregation  ihat  night  in  the  tent.  He 
invited  them  all  to  the  hall,  and  I  married  them. 
The  next  morning,  Avife  and  I  came  home  to  Kos- 
well,  XeAV  Mexico,  Avhere  I  stayed  one  night,  and 
the  next  morning  I  Aveiit  on  to  Clovis  Avhere  my  com- 
pany Avas.  When  I  arrived  there  I  found  li  rot  her 
Tnruh  from  Pomona,  California  :  Avhom  I  had  pray- 
ed for  his  healing  of  tiiherculosis. 

He  said  thai  after  I  left,  he  was  afraid  he  would 
become  discouraged,  for  there  Avas  lu)  encourage- 
ment for  him  there,  and  he  decided  that  if  he  ever 
got  AA'ell,  (Jod  Avould  have  the  Avork  to  do,  and 
that  he  could  never  do  it  without  faitli,  and  he  need- 
ed some  one  who  had  faith  to  help  him,  so  he  came 
to  stay  Avith  me  iiniil  he  got  Avell.  When  I  got  al- 
ready to  leave  there  T  told  him  to  go  to  KoSAvell, 
XeAV  Mexico,  that  I  had  a  house  theic  on  the  lot  of 
the  property  I  had  rented,  and  he  could  bring  his 
Avife  and  child  and  stay  there,  and  that  I  Avould  do 
all  for  him  that  Leonid.  He  sent  for  liis  Avife  and 
child.  the^,v  came,  and  he  began  to  amend  for  awhile. 
Then  he  became  conline<l  to  the  bed  with  boW(d 
troul)le,  and  decided  that  it  Avas  tuberculosis  of  the 
l)oAvels  and  meant  deatli.  He  became  very  much 
discouraged,  and  seemingly,  came  very  near  dying. 
I  talked  Avith  him.  ]n-ayed  for  him  and  assured  him 
that  (}()d  had  Avitnessed  to  his  healing,  and  that  I 
had  a  similar  ex])erience  Avheii  1  Avasliealed  of  con- 
sumption nineteen  years  ago:  and  that  (mmI  had 
imrgcd  perfectly  eveiy  bit  of  the  disease  out  of  my 


54  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

body;  that  God  was  cleaiisiiij>  him  of  every  disease 
and  defect,  and  that  when  God  got  through  with 
him  he  would  begin  to  amend.  He  took  hold  of  God 
by  faith,  and  the  disease  all  left  him,  and  he  was 
soon  up  and  going  about  his  business  and  began  to 
preach,  and  sing  in  the  meetings — something  he  had 
not  been  able  to  do  for  a  long  time ;  for  when  he 
would  sing  or  talk  nuich  he  would  have  hemorrhag- 
es of  his  lungs,  and  he  could  not  lift  much  without 
bringing  on  the  hemorrhages.  He  helped  in  the 
spiritual  work,  and  began  to  work  about  the  house. 
I  noticed  he  took  an  interest  in  what  he  did,  and  did 
it  well,  and  was  very  handy  with  tools.  After  camp- 
meeting  was  over,  and  I  was  preparing  to  take  an 
overland  trip  with  my  Company,  I  turned  over  the 
spiritual  work  and  all  the  financial  business  and 
books  to  him. 

He  had  others  to  help  him,  but  he  was  to  super- 
intend the  whole  Work  in  my  place  during  my  ab- 
sence. He  got  along  Avell  mth  the  business  and 
with  the  spiritual  Avork.  When  I  returned  home  I 
Avas  very  much  broken  down  in  body,  so  I  let  him 
keep  the  position,  and  he  holds  it  yet,  and  has 
charge  of  the  books,  attending  to  all  the  business. 
He  does  all  the  repairing  about  the  place,  besides 
the  plumbing  and  carpentering  work.  He  is  as  busy 
a  man  as  there  is  in  Roswell,  having  good  health, 
getting  stout  and  looking  well. 

Since  returning  home  from  Pomona,  California, 
I  have  received  letters  from  Brother  Erickson ;  he 
became  discouraged  and  did  not  get  along  so  well. 

I  am  going  to  say  it — I  am  sure  the  de\i\  will  not 
like  it — and  some  people  will  object  to  it :  but  if 
Brother  Erickson  had  taken  the  step  that  Brother 
Unruh  took,  I  believe  he  would  have  been  well, 
and  Avalking  long  ago.  Some  experiences  that  I 
have  had  prove  to  me  that  it  is  great  help  to  those 
trusting  God  under  severe  afflictions  to  have  some 
one  who  will  help  us  and  preach  faith  to  us,  and 


HOW    1    COT   FA  I  Til  55 

assure  us  that  it  will  Ix'  to  (lod's  uloi-v  lo  lical  us: 
and  ready  to  aij;ree  with  us  in  prayer  at  any  lime, 
and  stand  ajiieed  and  lioldinu  a  ie])uk('  in  their 
souls  against  the  devil  and  his  impositions,  instead 
of  tellinii  us  that  the  main  thinii  is  to  be  ready  to 
die  and  consecrate  to  God's  will  and  leave  it  all  to 
the  Lord;  that  if  it  is  his  will  to  take  us  we  nuist  be 
willin.i>-  to  die  or  just  as  willinju'  to  live,  and  that  all 
do  not  jj^et  healed.  Then  call  tlieir  attention  to  the 
man  Paul  left  sick,  2  Timothy,  4:20,  "lOrastus  abode 
at  Corintii;  but  Trophimus  have  I  left  at  Miletum 
sick.''  And  tell  them  that  is  necessary  that  they 
should  not  be  too  radical,  and  say  that  Taul  pre- 
scribed wine  for  Timothy,  and  to  drink  no  longer 
water  and  that  it  would  not  hurt  us  to  use  a  few 
remedies,  somethinii;  like  wine,  or  a  few  wet  rags, 
and  hot  poultices  and  such  like.  These  tliin.u's  ai-e 
all  unnecessary  and  do  not  tend  to  increase  faith  in 
God,  but  cause  us  to  lose  faith  in  God.  ^Ve  have 
faith  in  the  remedies  doin<>-  us  jiood  or  Ave  would  not 
use  them,  and  to  the  extent  we  ])ut  our  faith  in 
remedies  we  lose  faith  in  God.  If  you  j)ut  on  a  cold 
rag  or  a  hot  rag  you  expect  it  to  do  you  good,  or  you 
would  not  do  it ;  if  you  ])ut  on  a  ])oultice  you  expect 
it  to  do  good,  or  if  you  doju'  and  grease,  you  expect 
it  to  be  a  l)eneHt  oi-  you  would  not  do  it.  This  is 
double  mindedness,  and  a  double  minded  man  cannot 
receive  anything,  is  unstable  in  all  his  ways;  and 
Jesus  said  if  you  have  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard 
seed  Ave  can  ask  what  Ave  Avill  and  it  shall  be  done — 
nuistard  seed  does  not  have  reference  to  the  size,  as 
some  believe:  but  it  means  the  (puility.  Mustard 
seed  Avill  not  mix  with  other  seed.  Yon  ])lant  mus- 
tard an<l  you  will  i-eap  mustaid.  Faith  in  God  will 
not  mix  Avith  any  remedies. 

The  folloAving  is  a  co])y  of  a  card  icccixcd  l»y 
Sister  rnruli  from  Sislci-  .Mullins,  llic  woman  men- 
tioned Itefore  in  ihis  <liapler  who  was  healed  : 


5()  HOW  I   COT  FAITH 

"China,  Calit'oniia.     May  30,  1913. 
Dear  Sister  Unruh : 

I  got  your  card  and  was  glad  to  hear  from 
you  and  so  glad  to  hear  about  Brother  Unruh  do- 
ing so  nicely.  We  serve  a  mighty  God,  one  that  is 
able  to  deliver  us.  Well,  I  am  saved  and  healed. 
I  can  eat  what  I  want  and  sleep  like  a  child — some- 
thing I  have  not  done  for  eleven  years  before.  Praise 
our  God,  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick. 
Write  again,  love  to  all.    Brother  Erickson  is  fine. 

Sister  Mullins." 
The  folloAving  i'S  Brother  Unruh's  Testimony : 
On  October  22Dd,  1912,  I  had  a  part  of  a  tooth, 
which  had  ulcerated,  extracted,  leaving  me  A'ery 
sick,  I  thought  in  a  few  days  I  would  be  over  it, 
but  my  jaw  began  to  sAvell  and  inflame.  I  had  fever, 
no  appetite,  and  was  in  a  few  days  confined  to  my 
bed,  could  rest  and  sleep  but  very  little,  the  side  of 
my  face  swelling  terribly  and  at  the  same  time  hav- 
ing pleurisy  pains  on  my  left  lung.  At  the  end  of 
three  weeks  the  abcess  on  my  face  opened  in  my 
mouth,  then  I  thought  Avhen  it  would  all  be  drained 
out  and  heal  up  I  v  ould  be  well,  but  about  the  time 
it  got  a  little  better  I  began  coughing  up  matter  and 
corj'uption  from  my  left  lung  and  was  forced  to  the 
conclusion  that  I  liad  an  abcess  also  on  my  left  lung, 
but  1  thought  it  was  caused  from  the  trouble  in  my 
jaw  and  that  Avhen  it  drained  out  like  an  ordinary 
boil  or  abcess,  would  get  well  and  I  would  be  over 
my  sickness  and  out  at  work  again.  By  this  time 
my  condition  was  very  bad,  my  friends  said  I  looked 
like  a  corpse. 

I  called  a  doctor  for  examination,  who  said  both 
lungs  were  affected,  and  that  I  Avas  puss  poisoned 
and  was  very  bad  and  could  expect  most  anything, 
but  did  not  say  I  had  consumption.  At  times  my 
suffering  Avould  be  intense,  I  could  not  rest  or  lay 
still,  and  when  I  Avould  try  to  sir  up  tht»  side  of  my 
head  would  hurt  me  so  I  would  lie  down  auain  and 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  57 

be  restless.  I  "would  call  the  brethern  to  piny  for 
me  and  the  Lord  would  give  me  rest  for  a  while,  but 
Ave  eould  not  get  faith  for  my  complete  healing. 
Weeks  and  months  passed  by  but  my  jaw  did  not 
get  well,  nor  did  my  lungs  get  better,  although  I 
had  recovered  from  the  puss  poisoning,  and  had 
gained  some  strength,  but  I  liad  night  sweats  and 
was  coughing  up  the  worst  kind  of  corruption  and 
blood  and  was  having  hemorrhages,  yet  I  thought 
that  when  the  abcess  on  mv  lungs  healed  T  would  be 
well. 

liy  this  time,  the  following  March,  we  decided 
to  leave  California  to  move  east  to  Colorado,  but 
were  afraid  to  undertake  the  trip  without  first 
knowing  if  I  would  be  able  to  stand  it,  for  I  was 
very  weak,  so  we  went  to  a  lung  specialist  who  gave 
me  a  thorough  exandnation.  When  he  got  through 
I  asked  him  if  there  were  any  signs  of  consumption, 
upon  wliicli  lie  said  that  I  had  it  then  in  the  third 
or  last  stage,  also  that  1  had  tuberculosis  of  the 
glands  just  below  my  jaw  where  1  had  the  tooth  ex- 
tracted. I  remembered  then  of  having  symptoms  of 
lung  ti-ouble  the  summer  liefore  whicli  had  now  de- 
veloped. When  1  learned  this  1  got  in  earnest  jibout 
my  healing,  as  I  plainly  saw  that  my  only  hope  of 
life  was  in  (lod.  I  was  all  this  time  believing  the 
doctrine  of  healing,  as  taught  in  the  Bible,  but  I 
found  it  to  be  ji  fact  that  it  was  possi])le  for  us  to 
get  to  where  we  believed  tlie  doctrine  of  healing  and 
could  be  very  zealous  in  it,  yet  not  have  real  faith 
in  (lod  to  get  healed.  I  would  ])i'ny  and  call  otliers 
in  to  ])ray  with  me,  but  I  continued  to  spit  l)lood 
and  matter  and  coubl  not  ])reacli  or  sing  oi'  do  ;iny- 
tliing  tliat  would  jar  me  witliout  dangi'r  of  having 
hemorrhjiges.  When  I  would  lie  down  at  night 
wife  would  lix  my  bed  so  my  liend  nnd  chest  were 
])r()ltped  U])  higli  or  T  would  hnvi'  a  hemoi-iluige. 
One  evening  I  luid  a  lienun  rliage  caused  by  laugh- 
ing. 


5<S  now   I   (!()T   FAITH 

Our  prayers  not  being  answered  led  me  to  tlic 
coiichis'ion  that  they  were  not  prayers  of  faith  of 
Avliich  we  read  in  James  5:15,  as  by  this  time  1  was 
oomi)letely  eonseci-ated  and  given  up  to  (Jod.  I 
knew  of  no  one  who  had  seen  God's  healing  power 
manifested  in  the  recent  past  in  such  cases  as  mine, 
which  was  a  great  hindrance  to  my  faith.  By  study- 
ing God's  plan  in  his  word  I  began  to  realize  moi-e 
and  more  that  God  has  arranged  and  placed  in  his 
church  those  with  "gifts  of  healing,''  "of  miracles" 
of  faith,  etc.,  and  that  God  gives  his  ministry  pow- 
er over  disease  and  to  cast  out  devils,  etc.,  to  help 
those  who  could  not  have  faith  for  themselves.  I 
Ijegan  to  look  for  some  one  with  these  gifts  and  pow- 
er over  disease.  Sister  Mullins  told  us  of  Willis  M. 
Brown  of  Koswell,  New  Mexico,  who  had  such  faith 
and  that  God  Avas  using  him  nnich.  Another  afflict- 
ed biother  and  I  sent  for  him,  he  arrived  at  our 
place,  Pomona,  California,  May  the  8th  and  preach- 
ed two  sermons  daily  for  three  days.  As  I  sat  and 
heai'd  him  tell  how  that  God  was  the  same  today 
and  heard  him  tell  many  instances  of  healing  of  the 
lame,  the  blind,  of  those  in  wheel  chairs,  consump- 
tion, etc.  ]Not  only  of  years  ago,  but  in  the  recent 
I)ast,  my  faith  was  quickened  and  I  saw  that  it  was 
not  God's  will  for  me  to  die,  as  I  had  almost  con- 
cluded, but  that  God  would  heal  me,  if  I  would  only 
believe  him,  for  by  this  time  according  to  what  the 
specialist  told  me  the  disease  had  eaten  a  cavity 
in  my  lungs  as  large  as  my  list.  On  Sunday,  May 
11th,  1918,  Brother  Brown  anointed  and  prayed  for 
me,  rebuking  the  disease  in  Jesus'  name.  I  did  not 
get  healed  instantly,  but  felt  better  and  God  gave 
me  assurance  that  he  would  make  me  Avell.  I  con- 
tinued to  cough  np  some  matter,  but  was  impro^'ing. 
Biother  Brown  went  back  home,  I  was  afiaid  I 
might  not  be  able  to  hold  up  in  my  faith  and  get  dis- 
couraged, and  thus  get  under  it  again,  so  we  packed 
up  at  once  and  moved  to  Roswell,  Xew  Mexico, 


now    I   GOT  FAITH  59 

wliere  we  coviUl  be  with  lirotlici-  JJiowii,  uiidi'i-  the 
influence  of  his  faith  and  teachinji',  and  iilild  to  say 
that  l)y  tlie  1st  of  June  my  couuhiiiii'  u|)  iiiattcr  and 
])lood  and  heiiioi-rliaucs  had  all  stopped  and  1  l)e<;an 
to  <>ain  strenjith  and  soon  eoidd  sinj»'  bass  and 
pi'each  tlie  word  as  freely  as  ever,  be^an  to  do  li^ht 
work,  and  about  Septend)er  1st,  191.'i,  took  u})  spir- 
itual dutii^s  and  res[)onsibilities. 

We  live  at  the  Missionary  Home  and  are  able  to 
do  lots  of  work.  Have  been  sick  in  some  other  ways 
since  coniinji  liei-e,  but  (Jod  lias  heah'd  me.  I  am 
convinced  in  the  depth  of  my  heart  that  (Jod  is  the 
same  today  and  that  when  every  difliculty  is  re- 
moved siiius  and  Avonders  will  follow  the  preaching 
of  the  wt)rd,  the  same  as  in  liible  times.  My  heal- 
inii  i-edounds  to  many  thanksgivings  to  God,  for  He 
has  save<l  my  life, 

Youis  in  Plim, 

A.  M.  UNinii. 
201  X.  Lea  Ave., 

Koswell,  New  [Mexico. 
November  18,  lUl.'i. 


CO  now  1  GOT  rAITII 


CHAPTER  IX. 


AN  EXAMPLE  FOR  SAINTS. 


''Then  said  Jesus  unto  his  disciples,  If  any  man 
will  come  after  me  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take 
up  his  cross,  and  folloAV  me."    Matt.  10:24. 

We  frequently  hear  this  text  quoted,  and  preach- 
ed from,  but  never  touched  any  more.  I  mean  in 
the  modern  pulpits  of  today.  I  heard  people  <]Uote 
this  text  Avhen  I  was  a  boy,  and  even  after  I  was  a 
grown  man,  but  never  knew  the  meaning  of  it.  If 
we  read  the  life  and  experiences  of  Jesus  Christ  in 
the  first  four  books  of  the  Xew  Testament,  lose  sight 
of  him  as  a  God,  and  look  at  him  as  a  man,  that  he 
was  really  born  of  a  woman,  cradled  in  a  manger, 
raised  by  a  carpenter,  reached  the  years  of  man- 
hood, and  was  a  i^reacher;  if  we  study  the  scrip- 
tures we  will  fiiul  that  he  was  sent  for  an  example 
for  the  preacher,  for  the  Christian,  for  the  church ; 
and  as  we  see  in  the  third  chapter  of  first  John,  be- 
ginning at  the  first  verse  where  they  were  exhorted 
to  behold  something,  to  look  at  something,  God  says 
through  the  Apostle  here,  ''Behold,  what  manner  of 
love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we 
should  be  called  the  sons  of  God:  therefore  the 
world  knoweth  us  not,  because  it  kncAv  him  not." 
This  brings  to  my  mind  that  there  is  something  for 
us  to  look  at,  God  has  given  something  to  attract 
our  attention  that  we  might  have  something  to  go 
by,  or  call  our  attention  to  the  fact  that  God  has 
bestowed  his  love  upon  us,  and  as  we  look  at  the 
life,  resurrection  and  experience  of  the  son  of  God, 
we  see  something  that  draws  our  minds  from  this 
world,  draws  our  hearts  from  the  things  of  the 
world  and  brings  our  devotions  to  God.  In  the  sec- 
ond verse  it  says,  '"Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of 


now   I   COT    FAITH  (>1 

God,  and  it  doth  not  vet  ai>i»('ai-  what  ^\('  sliall  Itc; 
but  we  kiioAV  that,  when  lie  sliall  ai)pear,  we  shall 
be  like  him:  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  Ii  is  a 
hard  matter  for  some  people  to  eoiieeive  in  their 
mind  how  we  can  be  like  Jesus  Christ,  he  being  the 
son  of  (jod,  and  God  himself.  We  want  to  notice 
the  fact  that  he  was  a  man  as  well  as  God,  he  was  a 
man  filled  with  God.  flesh  and  bone  as  we  ai-e:  he 
walked,  talked,  ate,  drank,  slept  and  could  feel  as 
we  do,  had  tests  and  temptations  and  trials,  but  the 
God  i)()wer  in  him  enabled  him  to  overcome  it.  In 
this  sense  we  shall  be  like  him,  when  he  comes  we 
shall  see  him  as  he  is.  That  is,  as  he  was  a  man 
tilled  with  God  so  we  must  be  men  and  women  tilled 
with  (tO(1:  the  thin<»s  of  the  woi-ld  put  from  us, 
wickedness  ])ut  behind,  our  affections  on  thin.us 
above,  not  on  this  I'arth.  The  God  power  in  us  can 
prove  to  the  world,  as  it  did  throuuh  Jesus  Christ, 
that  we  are  not  of  the  world,  and  as  Jesus  says  in 
his  j»ra\('r  in  the  ITth  Chapter  of  John,  "That  he 
had  chosen  them  out  of  the  world."  (Jod  wants  us 
to  prove  to  the  people  that  we  are  chosen  out  of  the 
woi'ld.  and  as  preachers  that  we  cannot  i>reach  as 
the  world. 

Xow,  people  have  looked  at  this  liuhtly,  and  mil- 
lions of  ])eoi)le  have  read  it  and  know  no  more  about 
it  when  they  got  through  with  it  than  before  they 
read  it :  do  not  know  the  meaning,  or  understand  it, 
but  have  looked  upon  it  as  thongli  Jesus  was  talk- 
ing to  some  one  who  was  divine,  and  beyond  what 
we  could  ever  be.  But  readers,  will  yon  draw  a  pic- 
ture of  Christ  in  your  mind  now  as  an  example,  as 
one  who  said,  'Jjct  him  that  will  follow  me  deny  him- 
self, take  lip  his  cioss  and  come  after  me."  Deny 
yourself  of  all  things  that  wonld  hinder  yon  from 
filling  yoni-  place  in  the  body  of  ('liiist.  and  lelliiig 
the  God  ])ower  that  is  in  yon  \\ork  llirongli  yon  as 
it  wonld  in  (Mirisl. 

Study  now  the  lliird  \eise  of  this  chapter.  "And 


02  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

evoi'Y  iiuni  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  puiifieth  him- 
self, even  as  he  is  pure."  "O,"  but  one  says,  'Sve  can- 
not be  like  him,  we  cannot  be  pure  as  he  is  pure."  If 
this  is  a  fact,  God  nnist  have  been  mistaken  when 
talking  throujih  this  inspired  man,  when  he  told  us 
that  we  nnist  be  like  him  when  he  comes.  AVe  shall 
be  like  him.  We  note  in  the  17th  chapter  of  John 
and  the  9th  verse,  Jesus  says  while  praying,  ''I  pray 
for  them :  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them 
which  thou  hast  given  me;  for  they  are  thine."  Also 
the  10th  verse,  ''And  all  mine  are  thine,  and  thine 
are  mine ;  and  I  am  glorified  in  them."  And  in  th» 
13th  verse  he  says,  "And  now  come  I  to  thee;  and 
these  things  I  speak  in  the  world,  that  they  might 
have  my  joy  fulfilled  in  themselves ;"  and  also  the 
14th  verse,  "I  have  given  them  thy  word :  and  the 
world  hath  hated  them,  because  they  are  not  of  the 
w^orld,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world."  We  note 
here  that  Jesus  held  those  disciples  up  before  his 
Father  knowing  that  God  could  look  down  into  their 
hearts  as  he  made  the  statement,  assuring  the  Father 
that  they  were  not  of  the  world,  that  the  world 
hated  them  because  they  were  not  of  the  world  eveai 
as  he  was  not  of  the  world,  putting  them  on  an 
equality  with  himself.  In  the  15th  verse,  ''I  pray 
not  that  thou  shouldest  take  them  out  of  the  world, 
but  that  thou  shouldest  keep  them  from  the  evil." 
The  l(>th  verse,  "They  are  not  of  the  Avorld,  even  as  I 
am  not  of  the  world."  In  the  17th  verse,  "Sanctify 
them  through  thy  truth  :  thy  word  is  truth." 

Now,  we  will  notice,  reader,  it  means  something 
to  be  ready  for  sanctification.  It  does  not  mean 
that  you  are  going  to  places  where  you  ought  not  to 
go,  or  doing  things  that  you  ought  not  to  do.  and 
leaving  the  things  that  you  ought  to  do  undone ;  it 
does  not  mean  that  you  are  contMiually  discouraged 
and  living  an  up  and  down  life,  and  then  coming  to 
God  to  get  sanctified,  but  it  means  that  your  life  is 
to  be  so  pure,  so  holy,  so  perfect,  so  Christ  like  that 


HOW   I   GOT   FAITH  {hi 

you  can  easily  be  detected  from  the  worldly  people. 
Your  dress  is  different,  your  aetions  and  your  con- 
versation ai-e  different.  You  are  not  trying  to  adorn 
the  body  with  rutties,  plumes,  feathers,  neck-ties  and 
jewelry  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  world,  but 
that  you  are  beholdinu  the  manner  of  love  that  (lod 
has  bestowed  upon  us.  and 'following  the  exanijde 
that  he  set  for  us,  and  have  put  off  the  old  iJiiiius 
and  have  put  on  the  new  and  fashioninii  your  life 
as  Chiist,  insomuch  that  it  attracts  the  attention  of 
the  people  and  shows  them  that  you  are  not  like  the 
woi'ld,  then  you  ai'c  i-eady  foi-  sanctification.  And 
Jesus  wanted  you  sanctilied  for  a  purpose,  as  you 
will  note  in  the  18th  verse,  "As  thou  hast  sent  me 
into  the  Avorld,  even  so  have  I  also  sent  them  into 
the  woild."  (}()d  sent  Jesus  Christ  into  the  world 
for  an  example,  foi-  an  instrument,  in  his  hands  for 
his  j)ower  to  work  throujih,  a  man  tilled  with  (Jod 
and  the  (Jod  ])OWei-  throuiih  him  made  liie  blind  to 
see,  the  lame  to  walk,  the  dumb  to  sjx'ak.  llie  iepei-s 
to  be  healed  and  the  dead  to  come  to  life.  He  was 
one  man.  ha<l  one  body.  This  was  an  exami)le  for 
the  church,  the  kind  of  peo])le  that  he  speaks  of  here 
are  those  who  are  brouiiht  out  of  the  woild.  that 
are  not  of  the  world  :  tliey  ai-e  born  of  the  spirit  into 
the  church  of  Ciod ;  he  is  now  lioin.u  to  leave  the 
world,  he  sends  the  church  foith  as  (xod  sent  him. 
As  he  was  a  man  filled  with  (Jod.  yet  had  many 
memlx'Ls,  the  church  is  one  Itody  com])osed  of  all 
saved  men  and  women  on  earth,  fiUed  with  (Jod. 
The  same  ])owei-  thai  \v;is  in  Jesus  (Miiist  will 
Avork  throuiih  the  ciinicli  ;is  it  roih>ws  the  foot- 
steps of  (Mnist.  and  the  same  j)o\vci-  will  Ite  mani- 
fested thrcniiih  the  church  as  it  was  ihron.uh  .lesns 
Chiist.  ])erforminii'  the  same  miracles,  making  ilic 
blind  to  see,  the  lame  to  walk,  the  dund)  t«>  speak, 
the  lepeis  healed,  and  the  dead  laiscd  to  life.  And 
in  the  IDth  verse  he  says.  "And  for  their  s;ikes  I 
sanctifv  rnvsell',  tlnil   tliev  also  mi'iht   Ix'  s.iikI  ilicd 


()4  1H»\V   J   GFT  FAITH 

tlnoiiuli  the  truth."  We  note  here  that  he  set  an 
cxaniple,  and  sanctified  himself  that  we  might  fol- 
low in  his  steps.  We  do  not  consider  it  necessary 
for  .Jesus  Christ,  the  son  of  (jod  and  God  himself 
to  be  sanctified  for  his  own  benefit,  neither  does  he 
say  here  it  is  necessary,  but  for  their  sakes,  whose 
sakes?  Those  who  believe,  for  we  see  in  the  20tli 
verse,  "Xeither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them 
also  which  shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word." 
We  have  heard  this  read  from  the  j^ulpit  when  a 
child,  but  never  got  the  meaning.  In  fact  those  who 
read  it  did  not  understand  it,  and  did  not  know 
what  it  meant,  but  looked  upon  this  as  being  for  the 
apostles,  and  when  they  died  the  power  died  and  it 
was  preached  that  way,  and  being  preached  that 
way  it  hung  a  veil  between  us  and  the  God  sent 
privileges  which  God  granted  unto  us  through  Jesus 
Christ,  and  our  attention  has  been  called  from  this 
back  to  the  Apostolic  days  when  God  loved  his  peo- 
ple and  heard  and  answered  prayer.  We  are  again 
cited  to  the  great,  grand,  glorious  things  that  we 
will  hav(^  if  we  succeed  in  getting  inside  of  the 
Pearly  Gates  to  be  with  Jesus  and  the  angels,  but 
we  are  taught  that  in  this  life  we  are  not  allowed 
this  privilege ;  and  can  only  look  back  to  the  time 
when  God  did  those  things  for  his  people  and  the 
sick,  and  look  forward  to  the  time  that  by  chance 
we  shall  ivach  heaven  and  live  in  fear  that  we  will 
not  make  it,  as  we  ai'e  taught  that  Ave  nuist  sin  more 
or  less  in  this  life  and  cannot  be  saved  from  sin  :  and 
God  tells  you  in  his  word  that  no  sin  shall  enter 
heaven.  I  am  glad  that  God  ever  let  me  live  until  I 
found  out  that  this  was  the  doctrines  and  teachings 
of  men,  and  was  not  the  doctrine  of  Christ. 

We  will  notice  the  20tli  verse,  which  we  scarcely 
ever  heard  read,  and  is  as  follows :  "Xeither  pray 
I  for  these  alone  but  for  them  also  which  shall  be- 
lieve on  me  through  th(4r  word."  Not  only  for  those 
living  when  he  was  praying,  but  for  all  those  who 


now  I  COT  rAiTii  G5 

will  hclicvc  on  .Jesus  (Mii-ist  llirouiili  the  Xcw  Tcsta- 
iiicMit.  For  Avliat  did  lie  do  this?  In  ilic  2 1st  vcfSf, 
"That  they  all  may  be  one:  as  thou,  Farher,  ai't  in 
me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us: 
that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me."" 
My  dear  reader,  this  is  why  -Icsus  Cjirist  sanctilied 
himsell',  and  prayed  lor  liis  followers  to  be  sancti- 
lied, that  the  work  of  the  devil  and  the  carnal  mind 
mijiht  be  destroyed,  that  which  makes  envy,  divi- 
sion and  strife,  that  the  jK'ople  of  (lod  miiiht  be  one 
as  the  Father  and  Son  and  Holy  (Jliost  are  one. 
Can  you  see  that  there  was  any  division  with  them? 
Would  you  think  for  a  moment  that  they  had  any 
disturbances,  any  prating  against  each  other,  or 
clamoring  to  see  which  should  be  counted  the  high- 
est? You  cannot  do  it  no  more  than  they.  The  oidy 
hope  that  God  has  for  lost  souls  is  the  saved  people 
that  com])ose  the  Church  of  God,  the  spiritual  body 
of  Jesus  Christ,  that  is  one  in  spirit,  one  in  mind, 
heart  and  doctrine.  That  He  can  prove  through 
them  to  the  world  that  there  is  a  reality  in  salva- 
tion, and  that  the  teachings  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  his  life,  his  death  on  the  cross  and  his  burial 
and  rsurrction  was  not  a  failure,  but  that  it  would 
accomplish  a  salvation  that  would  deliver  men  and 
women  frotn  sin,  and  make  them  to  love  one  another 
as  Christ  loved  tis.  ( )  that  God  cotdd  bind  this  u])on 
the  hearts  of  his  ministry,  that  they  could  set  the 
e.\am])le  before  the  church,  that  they  have  that 
love  and  confidence,  the  oneness  in  spirit,  oneness  in 
])rea(  liing.  to  be  such  that  the  congregation  Avould 
be  encouraged  to  measure  up  to  it.  ^Vllen 
you  see  this  you  will  see  the  ]>ower  of  God 
manifested  as  it  was  in  the  apostolic  days,  and  it 
was  manifested  tlieii  (he  same  as  when  Jesus  was 
on  earth.  IMlate  was  once  heard  to  (|Uestion,  "What 
is  truth?""  desus  answers  the  (lUestion  in  (he  17th 
chai)ter  of  John  ami  in  the  ITth  verse,  "Thy  word  is 
truth.*"     I*eo])le  are  crying  all  over  llie  world  today. 


()(>  now   I  GOT   FAITH 

what  is  truth,  which  is  the  ii,i>lit  way?  Tlicy  lio  on 
tlic  street  and  see  tlie  pi-eachers  pass,  one  witli  a 
cijiai*,  anotliei-  one  chewing  and  spittlnti,'  tobacco. 
Once  we  could  tell  them  from  other  people  by  them 
weaiiuii'  lonu'  tailed  coats,  but  now  the  time  has 
come  that  the  showman,  the  uambler,  and  the  white 
slave  trader  wears  a  long  tailed  coat.  They  smoke 
cigars  and  chew  tobacco,  wear  gold  rings  and 
stick  pins  and  ties  just  the  same  as  the  sect 
pi-eachers.  You  cannot  tell  them  apart  by  their  ac- 
tions on  the  street  or  their  conversation.  You  stand 
in  the  doorAvay  of  the  shoAv ;  you  see  the  preacher, 
the  professor,  the  gambler,  the  harlot  and  all  classes 
go  into  the  shoAv.  You  cannot  tell  the  one  from  the 
otlier  by  their  dress,  or  their  actions. 

Men  and  women  with  hungr}'  souls  looking  for 
Jesus,  asking  what  is  the  right  way,  and  what  is 
truth,  are  made  to  sit  and  wonder  and  look  with 
amazement  and  gaze  into  eternity  without  any  hope, 
no  example.  They  have  been  taught  that  the  Bible 
is  not  true,  that  part  of  it  has  passed  away,  that  it 
is  impossible  to  live  like  Jesus  said  in  this  life.  They 
become  discouraged. 

The  bright  young  lady  who  has  been  schooled 
and  trained  by  parents  hoping  to  make  something 
out  of  h©r,  becomes  discouraged.  Conviction  rests 
on  her  heart  until  she  can  see  no  way  out,  and 
decides  to  seek  the  pleasures  of  this  Avor-ld  to  drive 
it  away.  She  goes  to  the  show,  following  the  preach- 
er and  the  professors.  She  next  goes  to  the  ball 
room  seeking  satisfaction,  next  to  the  card  party, 
next  to  the  beer  giass^  next  to  ruin,  she  next  goes  to 
hell.    The  young  man  travels  in  like  channels. 

In  this  T\'ay  the  world  is  growing  worse.  God's 
great  heart  is  grieved,  and  he  is  calling  men  and 
women  to  forsake  all,  to  deny  themselves  of  the 
pleasures  of  this  world,  to  be  like  Jesus,  to  preach 
the  gospel  that  he  preached  to  warn  souls  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come,  to  raise  up  a  people  that 


now   I    COT   I  A  IT  11  (m 

worldliiicss  has  no  at  I  laclion  for,  thai  will  (h'liy 
thcnist'lvt'S  of  all  the  siipci-fiuiry  and  nauuhtincss 
and  iiivc  thcii-  heart  and  life  and  time  to  (Jod.  hcinu 
a  pccidiai-  people  that  will  be  noticed  on  the  sticet 
because  of  theii-  peculiar  dress — no  plumes,  no 
feathers,  no  stick  luns.  no  neck  ties,  and  no  unneces- 
sary thiniis  about  their  di-ess — plain,  neat  and  clean. 
All  look  alike  and  are  beautilied  with  the  salvation 
of  God.  This  makes  people  beuin  to  ask  (|Ueslions. 
Who  is  that  man  dressed  so  plain,  yet  so  neat,  sticli 
a  l)eautiful  countenance?  He  is  a  .saint  pi-eacher. 
AN'ho  are  those  people  we  see  here?  They  are  people 
-vvho  live  hero,  they  once  fre(piented  places  of  anuise- 
nient,  thev  have  now  (piit.  They  have  been  attend- 
ing this  man's  nieetin<i.  He  preaches  a  straiiiht  doc- 
trine— a  jireat  many  t)f  these  peo]>le  have  taken  U]) 
with  him,  they  are  the  most  peculiar  people  you 
ever  saw,  as  you  see  them  now,  they  always  are, 
they  all  dress  plain  and  neat.  They  spend  their 
money  to  .uet  the  .i>()sj)el  toothers.  They  take  uj* 
no  hat  collections,  they  have  a  treasure  box  and  the 
means  that  they  receive  is  not  spent  for  supertlui- 
ties,  and  naiiiiktiness  and  tobacco  and  ties,  and 
those  who  desire  can  dro])  their  money  into  the 
treasure  box,  and  it  is  used  in  i)ayinii  the  expenses 
of  the  meetin<>',  and  to  help  spread  the  iiospel.  The 
minister  ])uts  in  his  full  time  in  the  "iospel  :  they 
search  the  town  for  ]K)or  jx'ople,  uather  up  little, 
dirty,  rauucd  children,  clean  them  u|).  clothe  them, 
ami  take  them  to  Sunday  school:  and  the  parents 
seeinj»'  the  jjreat  chanjie  in  the  children  are  often 
])ersMnuled  to  uo  to  meetinu'  and  hear  the  ;Li()spel.  and 
feel  that  there  is  a  reality  in  the  |>r(>l'ession  they 
make,  ami  the  (Jod  they  serve:  and  they  find  that 
they  use  no  remedies,  take  no  medicine  and  have  no 
doctor,  they  take  eveiy  thinii  to  God  in  pray- 
er. This  is  wliat  desus  meant  in  the  17th  Chapter 
of  doliii  and  the  iMst  verse.  "That  they  all  may  be 
one:  as  thou.  I'allier.  art  in  me,  and  1  in  thee,  thai 


()8  iiuw  I  G<rr  faith 

tlicy  also  may  be  one  in  us;  that  the  world  may  be- 
lieve that  thou  hast  sent  me."  It  is  the  only  thing 
that  will  convince  the  Avorld  of  Jesus  Christ.  He 
intended  this  for  an  example  to  show  that  he  made 
a  way  and  comj^leted  the  plan  of  salvation  that  was 
sni'iicient  to  enable  lost  and  fallen  humanity  to  come 
1 1'om  under  the  curse  of  sin — divisions  and  schisms, 
into  the  body  of  Christ,  to  where  they  can  live  as  he 
lived,  and  believe  that  his  birth,  life,  death  and 
r(^surrectian  w^ere  not  a  failure. 

Now^  dear  saints  of  God,  and  ministers,  especial- 
ly, if  we  do  not  hold  up  this  standard,  God  can 
never  get  this  light  to  the  people.  If  we  put  on 
superfluity,  however  small  it  may  be,  it  will  grow. 
You  may  notice  a  stream  of  water  flor.tng  down  a 
ditch.  The  ditches,  you  see,  in  this  irrigated  country 
are  often  higher  than  the  ground  they  are  running 
through,  it  is  raised  up  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
the  water  to  some  higher  part  than  the  ground  over 
which  the  water  is  passing.  You  dig  a  very  small 
trench  in  the  side  of  that  ditch  and  a  little  stream 
of  water  will  break  out  seeking  the  loAver  ground. 
The  longer  it  runs  the  bigger  the  opening  gets,  and 
if  not  attended  to  it  will  drain  all  the  water  out  of 
that  ditch  down  into  the  lower  ground.  My  brother, 
my  sister,  though  yon  be  a  minister  or  a  lay  member, 
you  just  make  a  little  channel  for  unnecessary  things 
begin  to  put  on  a  little  extra,  and  it  will  keep  grow- 
ing. My  brother,  you  put  on  a  neck  tie,  and  you 
have  let  doAvn  the  standard — you  have  that  much 
conformed  to  the  w^orld.  You  soon  ^ill  have  your 
gold  collar  button,  next  your  gold  cuff  buttons, 
next  your  stick  pin  in  your  tie,  next  you  Avill  begin 
to  use  little  remedies,  next  you  will  be  just  like  the 
world.  The  people  cannot  tell  you  fi'om  the  world, 
you  have  let  doAvn  the  standard,  the  channel  has 
grown  larger,  and  you  have  flowed  into  sectism. 

If  this  reformation  has  stood  clean  for  thirty 
or  more  years,  making  the  success  it  has,  grown 


HOW  I   GOT   FAITH  (;9 

from  wiiL'i-e  the  iiiiiiisUT  and  llic  church  wcic  all 
hauled  iu  a  farm  wagon,  and  has  grown  to  wlnie 
now  it  Avould  rccjuiii'  hundreds  of  tiaius  lo  cany  it, 
it  has  been  laised  U})  under  radical  tiutli.  and 
plain  dress.  God  help  us,  as  ministers  of  the  i^os- 
pel  and  saints  of  God,  to  not  lower  the  stanchiid, 
but  behold  the  love  of  God,  that  we  be  called  the 
sons  of  (Jod.  See  Jesus  as  he  preached  the  gosjicl  — 
he  liad  no  where  to  lay  his  head;  see  him  as  lie  laid 
on  his  face  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane  and  agon- 
izes with  God  to  set  an  example  for  us. 

Brother,  sister,  preacher,  freind,  if  you  will  fed- 
low  him,  and  get  as  earnest  as  he  Avas,  call  on  (Jod 
for  help  to  overcome  the  temptation  of  the  world  as 
he  did,  keep  yourself  stripi)ed  of  all  these  things,  of 
which  I  have  spoken;  you  will  then  be  used  as  a 
light  to  the  Avorld,  as  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of 
God  to  heal  the  sick,  cleanse  the  lepers,  raise  the 
dead.  This  love  of  God,  and  his  salvation,  is  more 
l)eautiful  to  me  than  all  this  Avorld  with  all  of  its 
attractions. 

My  brother  preacher,  see  -Jesus  Christ  as  he 
stood  there  in  the  Judgment  Hall,  mocked  and 
scoffed  at  by  the  woild  Ixnause  of  his  .purity.  Look 
at  him  as  he  bore  the  lashes  that  made  the  stiipes 
on  his  back.  Behold  him  as  he  hung  on  the  cross, 
as  they  offered  him  vinegar  to  drink,  see  him  refuse 
it,  then  see  them  spit  on  him,  and  hear  him  say,  "It  is 
finished" — this  means  the  i)lan  of  salvalion  c(>m]>let- 
ed — that  would  enable  us,  you  and  me,  to  be  like 
him,  and  not  of  the  world,  even  as  lie  was  not  of  the 
M(>Tbl. 


TO  HOW  I  GOT   KAITH 


CHAPTER  X. 


JESUS  CHRIST  AN  EXAMPLE  FOU  PREACHEUS 


"Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day, 
and  foreyer."    Heb.  13  :8. 

We  want  to  look. at  Christ  a  little  while  as  a 
preacher.  We  find  in  the  beginning  when  God  made 
man  he  made  him  pure,  perfect  and  holy.  He  made 
him  in  his  own  likeness  and  image.  As  we  see  in 
Gnesis  1 :27,  '"So  God  created  man  in  his  own  image, 
in  the  image  of  God  created  he  him ;  male  and  fe- 
male created  he  them."  We  And,  from  stud;\ing  the 
creation  of  man,  that  God  made  man  out  of  the  dirt, 
formed  him  to  suit  himself,  breathed  into  his  nos- 
trils, and  he  became  a  liying  soul.  This  soul  came 
from  God.  It  is  coexistant  with  God  and  ynll  liye 
as  long  as  God  liyes.  The  soul  is  like  God,  for  it  is 
from  him.  This  man  was  pure  as  God  is  pure :  so 
we  see  that  God  created  eyery  beast  of  the  field,  the 
fowls  of  the  air  and  brought  them  unto 
Adam  to  see  what  he  would  call  them,  and  whateyer 
Adam  called. eyery  liying  creature  that  was  the 
name  thereof. 

In  the  20th  yerse  of  the  second  chapter  of  Gene- 
sis, "And  Adam  gaye  names  to  all  cattle,  and  to  the 
fowls  of  the  air,  and  to  eyery  beast  of  the  field :  but 
for  Adam  there  was  not  found  an  help  meet  for 
him."  And  in  the  21st  yerse,  "And  the  Lord  God 
caused  a  deep  sleep  to  fall  upon  Adam,  and  he  slept ; 
nad  he  took  one  of  his  ribs,  and  closed  up  the  flesh 
thereof :"  In  the  22nd  yerse,  "And  the  rib,  which 
the  Lord  God  had  taken  from  man,  made  he  a  wom- 
an and  brought  her  unto  the  man."  23rd  yerse, 
"And  Adam  said,  This  is  now  bone  of  my  bones, 
and  flesh  of  my  flesh :  She  shall  be  called  Woman, 
because  she  was  taken  out  of  Man."  We  see  from 
this  that  God  performed  this  miracle  without  any 


IIUW   I   COT   1  AITII  71 

lu'lp,  opciiiiiu  tli('*si(l('  of  this  man,  takiiiii  out  a  rib 
and  iiiakiiiii  woman.  lie  made  lici-  as  pui-c  as  the 
man,  as  holy  and  as  clean  as  Himself.  Man,  ^Voman, 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  (Jhost,  all  were  one  in  the 
jiai-(h'n  of  Kdeii.  (Jod  |)iit  them  niulei-  a  law  and 
the  penalty  for  bieakinti  that  law  was  death,  and  he 
told  them  that  they  had  a  ii«>ht  to  all  the 
fniit  and  things  of  the  jiarden  with  the  exception 
of  the  fiuit  of  one  tice  which  they  nnist  not  eat. 
They  iindei-stood  him,  tiiey  knew  what  he  said. 
This  tnith  no  doubt  laiiii  in  theii*  eais  and  burned 
in  their  hearts,  as  it  was  spoken  from  (Jod's  lips, 
but  finally,  we  see  that  the  devil  in  the  form  of  a 
serpent  ci-ept  into  the  garden  of  Kdcn  ami  spoke  to 
the  woman — lie  did  not  tell  her  there  was  no  (Jod, 
that  no  part  of  his  word  was  true,  btit  he  told  her, 
as  we  see  in  the  5th  verse  of  the  3rd  Chapter,  "For 
(Jod  doth  know  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  then 
your  eyes  shall  be  opened,  ami  ye  shall  be  as  .uods, 
knowing  jiood  and  evil,"  This  seemin«>ly  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  woman  and  she  lost  sii>ht  of 
(jrod,  and  His  word,  in  so  nnuh  that  the  devil  put 
a  desire  in  her  heart  to  do  what  (Jod  had  said  not 
do.  She  yielded  and  partook  of  the  fruit.  (Jod  had 
said  in  the  day  that  ye  eat  thereof  ye  shall  surely 
die,  and,  now  for  this  cause,  (Jod  put  from  him  the 
only  man  and  woman  that  he  had  to  love  and  to  love 
him.  He  had  created  them  to  love  him  and  for  him 
to  love;  but  by  disobeyinji  one  word  that  he  had 
said,  and  doinji'  one  thinti  that  he  told  them  not  to 
do,  he  pnt  tliem  away  fiom  him.  Here  was  division 
between  mankiiul  and  (Jod.  Here  was  a  chasm 
made  that  could  not  be  brid«i(Ml  without  the  shed- 
dinu;  of  blood.  (jJod  was  a  holy  (Jod :  he  had  made  a 
holy  law,  and  he  made  no  repeal  froi-i  this  law,  and 
being"  (jJod  there  was  no  way  whereby  man  could 
come  back  to  God.  But  finally  (Jod  in  his  lii-eat  love 
and  com])assion,  lookinu  down  on  mankind  and  see- 
inii  that  all  mankind  had  (H)me  under  the  power  of 


72  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

the  devil,  could  look  down  throiiffli  the  an- 
nals of  time  to  the  present  Avith  his  all  seeinj>'  eye 
and  see  what  man  was  coming  to.  AVe  behold  him 
giving  up  his  only  Son  to  coiik^  down  to  this  world 
that  he  might  complete  the  plan  of  salvation  by  dy- 
ing on  the  cross  for  fallen  humanity,  and  raise  it 
from  the  curse  of  sin  and  back  in  touch  with  God 
to  where  they  could  enjoy  the  blessings  which  God 
had  provided  for  them,  and  again  walk  and  talk 
with  God.  They  were  .to  be  redeemed,  not  partly 
redeemed,  but  redeemed. 

Now,  as  w^e  look  at  the  devil,  we  see  he  had  poAv- 
er  to  impose  a  curse  on  all  humanity.  We  see  that 
he  took  a  clean  holy  man,  and  woman,  from  under 
the  hand  of  God,  and  defiled  them,  and  imposed  up- 
on them  every  curse  that  Avas  in  his  power.  He  has 
made  liars,  drunkards,  robbers,  murderers,  tobacco 
cheAA'ers,  and  CAxry  CA^il  thing  out  of  humanity  that 
he  Avants  to. 

NoAV,  God  sent  Jesus  Christ  into  the  Avorld  to 
deliver  mankind.  He  made  a  way  whereby  we 
might  be  delivered,  Luke  1,  beginning  at  the  G8th 
verse,  "Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel ;  for  he 
hath  visited  and  redeemed  his  people.  And  hath 
raised  up  an  horn  of  salvation  for  us  in  the  house 
of  his  seVvant  DaAid ;  As  he  spake  by  the  mouth  of 
his  holy  prophets,  AA'hich  have  been  since  the  world 
began :  That  w^e  should  be  saved  from  our  enemies, 
and  from  the  hand  of  all  that  hate  us :  To  perform 
the  mercy  promised  to  our  fathers,  and  to  remem- 
ber his  holy  covenant ;"  and  in  the  73rd  verse,  "The 
oath  AAiiich  he  sware  to  our  father  Abraham."  Also 
the  74:th  and  75th  verses,  "That  he  Avould  grant  un- 
to us,  that  Ave  being  delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our 
enemies  might  serve  him  without  fear,  in  holiness 
and  righteousness  before  him,  all  the  days  of  our 
life."  NoAv  we  see  that  this  deliverance  was  to  come 
through  Jesus  Christ.     In  Matthew  1:21  we  hear 


now    I   GOT   FAITH  iM 

the  aiiiicl  aniiouiiciiiu  to  Joscpli.  "And  she  shall 
briiiii  forth  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  naiiiL' 
Jesus;  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins,'' 
So  we  see  that  he  came  to  save  us  from  oui-  sins,  not 
ill  them.  We  find  tliat  he  did  come,  in  Luke,  the 
2nd  chapter  and  7th  verse,  "And  she  broujiht  foilli 
her  hrstboru  sou,  and  wrapped  him  in  swaddlinji 
clothes,  and  laid  liim  in  a  manger;  because  theie 
Avas  no  room  for  tliem  in  tlie  inn.''  There  arc  many 
people  who  are  looking  for  Jesus  to  come — they  say 
that  he  has  not  yet  come,  but  is  coming  to  set  uj)  a 
literal  kingdom  ;  but  we  find  tliat  he  did  come,  "lie 
came  to  his  own  and  his  own  reci'ived  him  not,'' 
'"But  to  as  many  as  received  him  to  them  lie  gave 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God." 

He  came  in  the  flesh.  AVe  might  take  his  life 
from  the  manger  to  tlie  cross,  but  we  Avilnt  to  com- 
mence where  he  began  to  set  us  an  example,  and 
look  at  liini  as  an  exam])le  for  the  preaclier.  AVe 
liave  in  tlie  former  chapter  given  him  as  an  example 
for  the  christian  and  the  church.  ]S\)w  we  want  to 
look  at  him  as  a  preaclier.  We  see  the  text,  in  tlie 
13tli  chapter  of  HebieAvs  and  8tli  verse,  *'Jesiis 
Christ  tlie  same  yesterday,  and  to-day  and  forever." 
So  as  Christ  came  in  the  flesh  to  the  peo])le  at  the 
time  here  spoken  of,  he  comes  now  in  liis  word  and 
his  Sj)irit,  and  he  is  the  same  today:  has  the  same 
power  to  give  to  men  and  Avomeii  to  become  the  sons 
of  Cod  as  he  had  when  he  walked  on  earth. 

AVe  find  that  John  the  Baptist  was  the  forerun- 
ner of  Jesus  Christ  and  preached  i-epentance  to  the 
people,  and  baptized  them  unto  repentance  and 
faith  in  the  Christ  that  should  come,  and  we  fiml 
that  he  told  them  so,  in  ]\latthcw  3:11.  "I.  indeed, 
baptize  you  with  Avater  unto  repentance:  but  he  Ihat 
Cometh  after  me  is  mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I 
am  not  Avorthy  to  bear:  he  shall  baptize  y(»n  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  Avitli  lire."  Xow  we  see  Ik-  had 
reference  to  Christ,  and  he  told  tlieni  ihat  he  would 


74  IKnV  I  GOT  FAITH 

(Iccicasc  but  (Mirist  Avould  increase.  Let  us  look  at 
Mattliew  3  :13-17  :  "Thfu  conieth  Jesus  fioiii  (iali- 
lee  to  Jordan  unto  John,  to  be  baptizcMl  of  him.  But 
John  forbad  him,  sajVinji,  I  liave  need  to  be  baptized 
of  thee,  and  comest  tliou  to  me?  And  Jesus 
answering-  said  unto  him,  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now  :  for 
thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness.  Theu 
he  suffered  him.  And  Jesus,  when  he  Avas  baptized, 
Avent  up  straightway  out  of  the  water :  and,  lo,  the 
heavens  were  opened  unto  him,  and  he  saw  the 
spirit  of  God  descending  like  a  dove,  and  lighting 
upon  him :  And  lo  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying, 
This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  Avhom  I  am  Avell  pleased." 
XoAV  we  see  this  is  where  Jesus  began  setting  the 
example  for  us..  We  never  see  Avhere  he  was  bap- 
tized but  the  one  time.  In  men's  theories  and  opin- 
ions a  great  deal  of  division  arises.  Awhile  back, 
I  Avas  preaching  and  some  holiness  preachers  were 
sitting  in  fi'ont  of  me,  and  I  said  who  is  it  that  does 
not  believe  that  eTohn  was  bai)tizing  by  immersion. 
One  preacher  raised  his  hand,  and  said  he  did  not 
believe  it.  This  is  the  first  man  that  I  ever  met  in 
all  my  ministry  that  said  he  did  not  believe  John 
Avas  baptizing  by  immersion.  It  looks  reasonable 
to  me  that  he  was  baptizing  by  immersion.  We  see 
that  some  translators  call  him  John  the  immerser, 
and  others  John  the  dipper,  and  the  King  James 
version,  John  the  Baptist.  However,  he  baptized 
Jesus  only  once,  and  he  came  up  out  of  the  Avater, 
and  he  Avould  have  had  to  be  in  the  water  to  come 
out  of  it,  and  Ave  find  that  baptism  represents  a 
burial.  We  see  by  reading  the  Gth  chapter  of  Rom- 
ans, beginning  at  the  1st  verse  and  reading  to  the 
third  verse,  "What  shall  we  say  then,  shall  we  con- 
tinue in  sin,  that  grace  may  abound?  God  forbid. 
How  shall  AA'e,  that  are  dead  to  sin,  live  any  longer 
therein?  Know  ye  not,  that  so  many  of  us  as  were 
baptized  into  Jesus  Christ  were  baptized  into  his 
death?"  This  means  a  spiritual  baptism  as  many  of 


HOW   1   GOT   lAlTIl  7.") 

US  that  liavt*  been  born  of  the  spirit  of  (Jod  liavc 
been  iinimMscd  into  Jesus  Christ  by  the  birth  of 
tlic  spirit  and  dcjid  to  sin,  as  (Mirist  died  on  the 
cross.  We  have  eon»e  by  way  of  the  eioss,  repented 
of  all  our  sins,  they  have  been  forgiven,  we  believed 
and  a(eei)ted  Christ,  have  Ihhmi  boin  of  the 
spirit,  ba|)tized  in  the  s])iritual  body  of  Christ, 
hence  we  iire  dead  to  sin  as  Cliiist  was 
natiii-ally  dea<I  on  the  cross.  Fouitli  verse, 
''Therefore  we  are  buried  with  him  l>y  baj*- 
tisni  into  death:  tlnit  like  as  Cliiist  was 
raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Fatliei-, 
even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life."  As 
Christ  was  laid  in  the  tomb,  so  are  we  to  be  buried 
with  him  in  the  watery  grave,  typical  of  his  burial 
in  the  tomb,  Cliiist  in  onr  hearts,  and  we  in  the 
water.  liy  this  act  we  show  forth  to  the  world  that 
as  Christ  was  raised  from  the  tomb  we  come  forth 
from  the  watery  grave,  made  alive  to  Cod  to  walk 
in  newness  of  life  with  Christ,  jiroving  to  the  world 
that  we  are  dead  to  sin.  In  the  oth  verse  we  see  that 
as  we  have  been  buried  in  the  likeness  of  his  death 
we  should  also  be  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection  : 
''For  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in  tlie  like- 
ness of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness 
of  his  resurrection."  Planting  certainly  means  to 
bury,  to  cover  up.  liirth  means  to  come  forth  to 
life.  So  baptism  typities  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
the  son  of  Cod.  I  see  no  reason  why  ]»eople  should 
split  and  cavil  ovei-  bai)tism,  seeing  that  Christ  was 
baptized  only  once,  and  when  we  are  baptized  we 
say  to  the  world  we  are  dead  to  sin,  then  ]n-ove  it  to 
them  by  living  without  sin,  taking  Christ  as  our 
example,  denying  ourselves  of  the  things  of  this 
world  and  walking  in  his  ste])s. 

We  .see  that  Christ  set  the  e\aiii]»le  of  b;iptism: 
he  now  Itegiiis  to  give  us  an  example  by  setting  up 
a  school  for  preachers,  as  we  see  in  Matt.  4  :1.  "'Then 
was  Jesus  led  up  ol'  the  spirit  inl(»  I  he  wilderness  to 


7()  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

be  tempted  of  the  devil ;"  2iid  verse,  '^Aiid  when  he 
had  fasted  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  he  Avas  after- 
wards an  hungered."  In  this  we  see  that  Jesus 
shoAvs  forth  liis  man  weakness  as  well  as  his  God 
power.  He  is  here  showing  us  Avhat  God  can  enable 
us  to  do,  and  hoAv  that  Ave  should  tarry  before  God 
until  Ave  come  in  possession  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Avliicli  is  the  Avriter  of  the  Avord  of  God,  that  Avill 
enable  us  to  preach  just  like  the  HoIa*  Ghost  has 
Avritten  it.  Xow  we  see  here  that  after  Jesus  had 
fasted  forty  days  and  nights  the  tenq^ter  came  to 
him  and  said,  Matt.  4  :3,  "If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God, 
command  that  these  stones  be  made  bread."  This 
tempter  Avas  the  same  old  devil  that  crept  into  the 
garden  of  Eden  and  attracted  the  attention  of  our 
foreparents  and  made  them  believe  that  God  had 
made  a  mistake.  This  same  devil  was  as  aa  ell  aware 
that  Jesus  Christ  had  come  to  make  a  way  to  take 
sin  cursed  and  fallen  man  from  under  his  hand  as 
he  Avas  av^are  of  the  fact  that  God's  Avord  Avas  true, 
and  that  the  first  man  and  Avoman  that  God  made 
wei'e  holy.  He  aiso  kncAV  that  if  he  could  get  Jesus 
to  perform  one  miracle  for  Mm  that  that  would 
again  block  God's  j)lan  and  stop  the  plan  of  salva- 
tion. 

Jesus  had  God  power  enough  to  knoAv  this,  and 
he  gave  him  answer  in  the  4th  verse,  ''But  he  an- 
swered and  said,  It  is  written,  Man  shall  not  Ha'c  by 
bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out 
of  the  mouth  of  God."  Jesus  knew  that  there  would 
be  some  preachers  that  would  follow  his  example, 
and  here  he  gives  them  a  club  to  fight  the  theolo- 
gian, and  AA^hen  they  come  and  tell  us  tliat  different 
parts  of  the  scripture  has  passed  aAAay,  we  can  refer 
them  to  the  language  of  Christ  in  the  4th  chapter  of 
Matthew  and  the  4th  verse.  The  deA'il  was  defeated 
in  this,  but  he  was  not  satisfied,  we  see  in  the  5th 
verse,  "Then  the  dcAdl  taketh  him  up  into  the  holy 
city,  and  setteth  him  on  a  pinnacle  of  the  temple." 


now  I  GOT  FAlTil  77 

TIr*  ()lii  verse,  "And  saitli  unto  liiui,  it  lliuu  be  llie 
Son  of  God,  cast  tliAself  down :  for  it  is  written,  He 
shall  iiive  his  angels  charge  concerning  thee:  and  in 
their  hands  they  shall  ])ear  thee  np,  lest  ar  any  time 
thou  dasli  thy  foot  against  a  stone."  Here  the  flevil 
Avas  trying  to  get  him  to  perform  another  miracle 
for  him,  and  even  quoted  scripture,  which  he  will 
do  yet,  but  Jesus  gives  him  the  answer  in  the  7th 
verse,  '"Jesus  said  unto  him,  It  is  written  again, 
Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  (Jod." 

Jesus  knew  that  we  who  follow  him  would  be 
asked  to  speak  water  into  wine,  to  raise  the  dead 
that  had  been  dead  for  forty  years,  and  to  ])Ut  on 
limbs  that  had  been  cut  off  and  buried  and  decayed, 
and  put  in  eyes  that  had  been  bursted  out.  I  have 
been  asked  to  do  all  these  things,  and  a  great  many 
more:  but  I  refer  them  to  the  7th  verse  of  the  4th 
chapter  of  Matthew,  in  Jesus  language,  "Thou  shalt 
not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God."  Also  let  us  notice 
the  8th  and  9th  verses,  ''Again,  the  devil  takest  him 
up  into  an  exceeding  high  mountain,  and  shcAveth 
him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  gloi-y  of 
them ;  And  saith  unto  him,  All  these  things  will  I 
give  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  doAvn  and  worship  me." 
Xow  then  my  brother  minister  if  you  can  just  lose 
sight  of  Jesus  Christ  as  a  (Jod  and  can  see  him 
standing  there  as  a  hungry  man  who  had  not  eaten 
for  forty  days  and  nights,  and  who  was  suffering 
all  the  tortures  that  hunger  can  make  a  man  suffer, 
and  was  there  setting  an  exani]»h'  for  you  and  me 
and  every  minister  of  the  gosi)el  to  not  seil  out  to 
the  devil.  And  in  the  10th  verse,  "Then  saith  Jesus 
unto  him.  Get  thee  hence,  Satan:  for  it  is  written, 
Thou  shalt  Avorship  the  Lord  thy  (Jod,  and  him  only 
shalt  thou  serve."  Also  the  11th  vei-se,  "•Tiien  the 
de\'il  leaveth  him,  and,  behold,  angels  came  and  min- 
istered unto  him." 

This  is  an  exami>le  thai  .lesus  has  given  ns  as 
ministers,    that    Ave    might    deny    ourselves    of    the 


78  HOW   I   GOT  FAITH 

thiiijis  of  this  world,  and  tany  bofoic  CJod  to  know 
his  will  concoininii  us,  j-et  the  Holy  (Jhost  that  will 
enable  us  to  picach  the  word  of  God  as  Jesus 
preached  it.  In  other  words  this  is  a  school  that 
Jesus  has  set  up  here  for  his  preachers;  to  go  to 
school  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  j»et  that  wisdom  fioni 
above  that  Avill  enable  them  to  give  their  lives  before 
they  would  compi-omise  with  the  devil. 

Now^,  we  see  here  that  Jesus  would  not  attempt 
to  speak  the  stones  into  bread,  although  he  was 
hungry,  neither  would  he  jump  off  of  the  pinnacle 
to  show  that  he  could  do  it  without  hurting  him- 
self. If  he  had  done  this  for  the  devil  he  would  have 
ruined  the  plan  of  salvation.  Then  in  the  wind-up 
we  see  that  he  did  not  bow  down  to  the  devil,  though 
he  offered  him  the  Avhole  world.  Sad  to  say  that 
today  there  are  preachers  that  have  bowed  down  to 
the  devil  and  let  down  the  standard  for  a  little 
filthy  lucre,  and  for  the  praise  of  man. 

There  are,  now,  scores  of  young  men  and  women 
who  are  taken  in  and  educated  to  preach  certain 
doctrines  for  a  denomination.  Whatever  you  are 
stamped  for  is  wiiat  you  have  to  preach.  If  you  are 
educated  by  the  Presbyterian  denomination  for  a 
preacher,  you  must  preach  Presbyterian  doctrine: 
if  you  are  educated  by  the  Baptist  denomination  for 
a  preacher,  yuo  must  preach  Baptist  doctrine :  if 
you  are  educated  by  the  Methodist  denomination  for 
a  preacher,  you  have  to  preach  the  Methodist  doc- 
trine. You  go  out  under  their  commands  and  in- 
structions ;  belong  to  them  and  are  sent  of  them. 

Xow  this  reminds  me  of  an  incident  that  oc- 
curred w  hen  I  was  a  little  boy,  that  I  will  give  as  an 
illustration  to  make  more  plain  to  you  what  this 
means,  I  Avas  raised  in  the  back  woods  of  South- 
ern Illinois,  and  as  I  have  before  stated,  my  mother 
died  before  I  could  remember,  and  my  father's  sis- 
ter took  mother's  place  to  raise  me.  People  Avere 
very  poor  then  and  did  not  have  things  as  plentiful 


HOW  I  (ioT  I  Arni  79 

as  they  <1()  now:  iicillici-  (li<l  <  liildicii  Uavc  as  many 
thinjLiK  to  play  with  as  they  do  now,  but  they  were 
just  like  children  are  now,  always  wantin<>  thin<;;s 
that  were  not  intended  foi-  tlieiii  lo  have.  Hvei-y 
tliin<>  was  run  on  the  economy  phin.  My  aunt  would 
raise  cotton,  card  and  spin  it,  and  make  clothinu  for 
us  children  to  wear  through  the  summer.  My  lath- 
er raised  sheep  and  they  would  wash,  shear  and  spiu 
the  wool  and  make  our  wintei-  clothes,  ^\'hen  ihei-e 
was  a  piece  of  cloth  taken  out  there  was  always 
some  ends  of  thread  that  were  called  thumbs.  It 
was  the  thread  that  went  around  the  beams  of  the 
loom:  they  could  not  be  woven  in,  as  there  was 
nothiuii  else  to  hold  it.  This  was  cut  oti"  the  cloth 
and  used  as  thread  to  patch  and  do  other  sewinu. 
There  was  au  old  mau  called,  "Cheap  -lohn"  who 
came  throuuh  the  country  about  once  a  year,  and  ho, 
sold  iireat  biii  s[»ools  of  black  tlax  th)-ead.  ( )ne  spool 
would  last  a  year.  It  was  only  used  for  spe(  ial 
occasions,  and  was  put  away,  and  kept  in  a  secret 
])lace  whei-e  the  children  were  supposed  not  to  i»et 
it  and  waste  it.  This  was  the  thtnu,  I  wanted.  One 
day  I  stole  the  spool  of  thread,  ;;ot  a  horse  tly,  lied 
the  thread  on  to  its  leg  and  let  it  fly;  and  I  would 
unwind  the  thread  and  it  would  fly  hi.uhei-  and 
liiuhei-  into  the  air  until  I  had  all  tlie  rhi-ead  un- 
wound, and  then  I  had  to  stop  it.  The  fly  would 
flutter  and  j^o  in  all  directions  trying  to  go  higher, 
but  when  I  would  decide  to  wind  him  in  and  save 
the  thi-ead.  and  would  begin  to  wind  he  would  flut- 
ter and  kick  and  try  to  get  loose,  l»ut  he  would  have 
to  come,  for  I  had  the  thread  on  his  leg.  This  may 
seem  like  foolishiu'ss  to  you,  but  this  repr<'senls  the 
preacluM-  that  is  sent  out  to  preach  doctrines  of  men. 
His  soul  m:iy  be  honest,  he  tarries  Itefoi-e  (Jod,  he  is 
not  satisfie<l.  feels  there  is  something  lacking.  Hut 
he  has  to  pi-each  to  the  ix'ople  that  they  have  to  sin 
more  or  less  evei-y  day,  "That  he  that  saith  hu*  liveih 
and  sinneth  not  is  a  liai-,  and  the  truth  is  not   in 


80  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

him,"  "Prone  to  sin  as  the  sparks  are  to  ffy  up- 
ward," and  much  more  such  man  made  doctrines  as 
this,  but  his  soul  cries  out  to  (rod,  and  finally  he 
wakes  up  to  the  fact  that  (lod  has  something  in 
store  for  him  that  he  is  not  in  possession  of,  and  is 
made  aware  of  the  fact  that  Jesus  set  an  example 
for  him  to  follow.  It  is  also  made  known  to  him 
that  Jesus  suffered  Avithout  the  gate  that  he  ndght 
sanctify  the  people  Avith  his  own  blood.  He  gets  an 
understanding  of  the  ITtli  chapter  of  St.  John, 
makes  his  surrender  to  God  of  his  time,  talent  and 
life,  his  faith  takes  hold  of  the  promises  and  he  re- 
ceives the  Holy  Ghost,  and  he  is  all  sold  out  for 
God.  The  Holy  Ghost  in  him  preaches  sanctifica- 
tion  as  a  second  work  of  grace,  and  divine  healing 
as  a  Bible  doctrine.  Some  of  the  congregation  soon 
report  him  to  the  presiding  elder,  or  other  higher 
authority  of  their  denomination,  they  soon  come  to 
wait  on  him,  to  inform  him  of  the  fact  that  he  must 
submit  to  their  doctrine,  or  they  A\ill  deal  with  him ; 
that  it  is  a  heresy  and  unless  he  will  acknowledge 
that  he  is  wrong  and  renounce  this  as  a  heresy,  and 
hold  up  the  doctrine  of  their  church  they  will  turn 
him  out  and  take  his  credentials  from  him.  He  may 
object,  he  may  beg,  but  they  will  turn  him  out,  they 
have  the  sectarian  strings  on  him,  they  have  the 
power  and  according  to  the  rules  of  the  denomina- 
tion they  turn  him  out,  as  they  think,  to  go  to  the 
bad. 

I  was  in  meeting  one  time  T\T^th  a  brother  that 
had  had  this  experience,  and  in  his  preaching  he 
said  that  he  got  the  light  on  sanctification  and  the 
experience,  and  began  to  preach  it,  and  the  presid- 
ing Elder  sent  for  him,  as  he  had  been  visited  by  a 
number  of  smaller  offtcers.  He  said,  "Now,  Broth- 
er Moon,  I  have  a  good  job  for  you  where  you  can 
have  a  nice  little  work  and  can  command  a  salary 
that  AAill  make  a  living  for  you  and  your  family." 
He  told  him  that  he  was  very  thankful  for  that, 


now  1   COT   FAITH  81 

and  that  he  would  certainly  api)i'e(iate  it.  But  the 
EldcM-  said,  "It  is  on  conditioii  that  you  will  not 
preach  this  sanctitication.  Of  course  we  believ(»  it 
•is  a  I>ibh'  doctrine,  but  it  wouhl  not  do  to  preacli  it 
to  the  i)eopie  that  they  sliould  have  it.''  Brother 
Moon  told  him  that  he  had  to  preach  it.  The  Elder 
said,  "You  cannot  ])reach  it.  if  you  do  I  will  turn 
you  out  of  the  church  and  take  your  credentials." 
lliotlier  Moon  said  to  him,  "You  cannot  <lo  it.  To 
do  that  you  would  have  to  steal  Jacob's  ladder  and 
ransack  the  books  of  heaven  to  turn  me  out,  for  I 
am  in  (lod's  church,  wliich  the  uates  of  hell  cannot 
prevail  against. 

I  would  to  (lod  that  all  who  have  licaid  his 
voice  would  be  as  ])ositive  as  was  this  man,  and 
stand  to  the  truth  instead  of  acce])tin.u;  error.  There 
is  now  in  tlie  Home  here  a  l)rother  who  is  ])iincipal 
of  our  school  who  has  had  the  experience  of  which 
I  have  spoken.  He  attended  a  theolojrical  semin- 
ary, was  educated  and  (>i-daine<l  foi-  a  rresbyteriaii 
preacher.  After  picachinu  for  them  for  a  time,  and 
while  tariyin<i  lu'fore  (Jod  he  saw  that  immeision 
was  tlie  mo(h'  of  baptisni.  He  left  the  Presbyterian 
denomination  and  joined  the  Baptists  to  be  im- 
mersed, still  not  satislied.  and  liis  soul  hunjLii'y  for 
(lod.  He  found  out  that  sancti  Ileal  ion  was  for  him 
and  was  a  Bible  doctrine  and  he  obtained  the  ex- 
perience and  commenced  i)reachinii-  it  to  othei-s  and 
the  Ba])tist  denominalion  turned  him  out.  Some 
one  sent  liim  a  (Jospel  Trumitet.  About  this  time,  he 
noticed  tliere  was  to  l)e  a  meetinii  hebl  at  Andci'son, 
Indiana,  in  -lunc.  l!ll."').  He  was  askiuii  (Jod  from 
his  heart  to  o]>en  the  way  for  him  to  uo.  and  one 
morninii'  a  neiuhl»or  knocked  at  liis  (lo(U-.  came  in 
and  told  him  that  there  was  to  lie  a  meeting  at  An- 
derson. Indiana.  The  brother  tobl  him  that  he  had 
been  wishinii  that  he  micht  g;o.  lie  also  said.  "If 
you  will  iio,  I  will  i)ay  your  expenses  Hwre  and 
back.''     Tie  went,  was  there  for  seveial  davs,  and 


OZ  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

one  (lay  lie  and  aiiotlicr  hrotlici-  were  ])usily  cii- 
gajucd  in  conversation  and  did  not  attend  the  fiist 
part  of  the  preachinji  services,  but  finally  they  went 
to  the  auditorium  and  just  as  they  stepped  into  the* 
door  he  heard  me  announce  that  I  was  runninji  a 
school  at  Koswell,  Xew  Mexico,  and  Avas  standinj; 
in  need  of  teachers,  and  if  any  one  felt  that  Ood 
had  his  hand  on  them  for  this  work  to  talk  Avitli  me 
or  write  to  me.  He  said  that  he  had  been  wishin<» 
that  the  Lord  would  open  the  way  where  he  could 
teach  in  this  kind  of  a  school,  as  he  had  been  ])rinci- 
pal  in  public  schools  and  understood  this  kind  of 
work.  He  said  when  he  heard  me  make  the  an- 
nouncement, the  Lord  said  to  him,  ''That  is  for- 
you."  He  came  to  me  and  had  a  talk  with  me,  and 
Ave  agreed  that  Ave  Avould  hold  it  before  the  Lord, 
Avhich  we  did,  with  the  result  that  he  is  here,  noAv 
has  charge  of  the  school  and  has  tAvo  teachers  un- 
der him  and  more  than  fifty  pupils,  and  (rod  is 
blessing  in  the  AVork. 

KoAV  had  he  boAved  doAvn  to  the  devil  and  stuck 
to  the  doctrines  of  men  and  giAen  up  the  Lord  he 
could  never  have  accomplished  his  purpose,  neither 
could  God  have  used  him  .for  what  he  is  noAv  using 
him,  to  train  children  up  for  heaven. 

If  Jesus  had  bowed  down  to  the  dcAil  and  wor- 
shiped him,  this  plan  of  salvation  could  never  have 
been  completed.  I  haAe  seen  many  times  in  my 
ministry  when  this  thought  has  been  brought  to  my 
mind,  Avhen  it  seemed  that  starvation  was  at  the 
door,  and  the  devil  Avould  tell  me  if  I  Avould  weaken 
a  little,  and  let  up  on  my  ideas  of  God's  healing  all 
manner  of  diseases  and  people  living  a  pure  life  and 
making  wrongs  right  that  the  people  would  support 
me  but  when  I  failed  to  listen  to  the  devil  and  held 
a  rebuke  in  my  soul  against  him  and  held  on  to  God, 
the  Lord  Avould  provide  a  Avay  and  furnish  our  liv- 
ing. This  is  Avhat  God  w^ants  his  preachers  to  do. 
Failing  to  do  this,  locks  the  AA'heels  of  Zion  and  hin- 


HOW   I   GOT   FAITH  83 

(lers  till'  work  of  (Jod  and  prcvcul.s  (Jod  from  iiiaui- 
fostiii*;  his  power  thioujih  the  ministiy  and  the 
rhiirch  today  as  he  did  in  the  Ai)ostolic  days. 

My  lirotlicr.  my  cxjxMiencc  is.  if  we  preach  the 
trutli  without  compromise  (Jod  will  ])r()vide  loi-  us. 
We  may  i>et  a  little  hunuiy.  our  clothes  may  jiet  a 
little  thread  bai-e,  oui-  furniture  iiin  down,  our  rents 
may  become  due,  some  ])ersecution  aiise  auainst  us, 
but  (lod  will  opi'U  the  way  ami  take  care  of  us  and 
his  cause. 

If  every  preacher  that  has  taken  u])  the  j»ospel 
to  preach  it  had  tairied  befoi-e  (Jod  as  the  example 
liiven  by  -lesus  Christ  himself  in  the  Fouith  chapter 
of  Matthew,  and  would  have  all  {)reached  the  same 
thinjj,  God  would  have  had  a  miuhtier  church  and 
peojde  throuuh  whom  he  could  have  manifested  his 
power  as  it  was  in  the  Apostolic  days. 

I  am  goinji"  to  say  somethinu  else  stronger  than 
the  above.  Brethern,  1  know  it  will  hurt,  but  (lod 
Almighty  help  you  to  be  hundde  enough  to  accept 
it  and  i»rofil  by  it.  If  the  preachers  wh(>  claim  to 
be  of  this  reformation  would  take  this  example, 
tarry  before  (iod  until  they  get  the  mind  of  (Jod, 
preach  the  full  gosjud.  deny  themselves  of  the  things 
if  this  life  as  .Jesus  did,  give  the  devil  to  undeistand 
rhat  they  would  m)t  bow  down  to  him,  that  they 
would  give  their  lives  befoi-e  they  would  do  it,  there 
M'ould  be  more  of  that  love  one  foi*  another  that 
Jesus  ])raye(l  foi',  and  the  {ticacliers  in  the  apostolic 
days  had.  Tliei-e  woubl  be  the  same  ]K)wer  mani- 
fested that  was  manifested  in  the  ai)ostolic  church 
that  Ave  have  on  record  in  the  r)th  chapter  of  Acts 
when  (lod  had  cleaned  his  chuich  by  the  death  of 
Ananias  and  Sa])phira.  I  i)ray  (Jod  to  speed  the 
time  that  we  get  a  shaking  and  the  nnnisters  and 
the  church  cleaned  up  for  (Jod  nniil  they  will  be  on 
lire  for  (Jod,  with  the  old  time  powci-  and  ilie  signs 
following  them  who  claim  to  believe. 

We  see  after  . lesus  set  this  e\aTii|)l(' lie  ilien  goes 


84  now    1    GOT   FAITH 

to  pivac-liiiij>  the  go.spcl.  His  iirst  text  is  Matthew 
4:17,  "From  that  time  Jesus  began  to  preach,  and 
to  say,  Ke^K'nt :  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
hand."  We  see  that  he  preached  repentance.  He 
did  not  go  into  a  place  and  accept  everybody  avIio 
professed  to  be  saved,  and  preaching  littk^  chalk 
water  sermons  that  would  tickle  the  ear  and  ease 
the  conscience,  rather  than  that  act  of  grace  that 
moves  the  hearts  of  men  and  women  to  repentance 
and  enables  them  t^  bring  their  mind  in  from  the 
world  and  review  their  past  life  and  behold  the 
goodness  of  God  and  liis  love  to  them,  and  consider 
their  past  life  and  their  unthankfulness  and  unholi- 
ness  before  God,  and  preaching  to  the  men  and 
women  until  they  felt  ashamed  and  sorry  for  the 
past  and  putting  them  into  a  position  where  they 
would  rather  have  God  than  anything  else.  Then 
they  are  willing  to  turn  everything  loose  for  God. 
To  one  in  this  position  it  is  no  trouble  for  them  to 
throw  off  neckties,  gold  collar  buttons  and  gold  cuff 
buttons,  stick  pins,  plumes  and  feathers  and  super- 
fluities of  all  kinds,  and  make  wrong  s  right, 
straighten  up  their  back  life  until  it  "vvill  read  like 
the  word  of  God,  and  from  the  depths  of  their  hearts 
say,  ''Anything  Lord."  This  is  the  Bible  plan  of 
salvation,  which  is  deliverance  from  sin,  anchors 
the  soul  in  God,  brings  satisfaction  and  enables  us 
to  be  living  examples  and  makes  a  craving  in  the 
heart  and  a  hungering  and  thirsting  for  more  of 
God;  it  soon  brings  them  to  the  place  where  they 
make  a  deeper  consecration,  where  they  can  present 
their  bodies  a  living  sacrifice  to  God  which  is  their 
reasonable  service,  giving  their  time,  talents,  life, 
means  and  all  over  into  the  hands  of  God,  then  just 
being  as  clay  in  the  potter's  hands  and  realizing  that 
what  they  have  belongs  to  God,  faith  takes  liold  of 
God's  promises  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Clirist  cleans- 
es from  all  sin  and  the  Holy  Ghost  fills  the  soul 
until  they  have  the  power  of  God  that  enables  them 


now   I  GOT  lAITH  85 

to  be  used  as  iiisti-uincnts  in  the  hands  of  (lod  lo 
prove  to  the  world  that  they  are  not  of  the  Avorl«l. 

A  body  of  ]>reaehers  of  this  kind  can  tire  a  coin- 
iininity,  tliey  ean  stir  a  town  or  a  eity.  Tliey  can 
make  the  devil  tremble  on  his  throne  in  hell.  They 
can  make  Avicked  sjnrits  and  deceivers  Mee  under 
their  rebuke  wliich  thev  <>ive  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

Wq  Avill  now  consider  the  kind  of  ])reacheis  that 
Jesus  called  and  sent.  Matt.  10:1,  "And  wlww  lie 
had  called  unto  him  his  twelve  disciples,  lie  liave 
them  power  against  unclean  spirits,  to  cast  them 
out,  and  to  heal  all  manner  of  sickness  and  all  man- 
ner of  disease."  Xow  my  brother  I  want  to  (all 
your  attention  auain  to  the  text  in  the  loth  cliai)ter 
of  Hebrews,  and  Stli  verse,  "Jesus  Christ  the  same 
yesteiday,  today  and  forever."  We  see  in  the  lOth 
chapter  of  Acts,  Peter  telling  Cornelius  and  others 
who  were  uathered  toiiether  that  Ood  had  no  res- 
pect of  persons  and  that  tlie  Holy  (Jhost  was  for  the 
Gentiles  as  well  as  for  the  Jews.  Let  me  reason 
with  you.  If  Jesus  Christ  gave  preachers  this  pow- 
er when  on  earth  does  he  not  do  it  yet,  if  he  is  the 
same  Christ,  if  he  has  no  respect  of  ])eisons,  if  he  de- 
sires this  truth  to  go  to  the  people  as  he  has  i)reach- 
ed  it,  and  if  those  that  he  has  called  and  sent  preach 
it,  does  he  not  desire  that  you  and  I  have  the  san»e 
power  and  authority  to  ])reach  the  word  that  they 
did?  If  so  will  he  not  give  it  to  us?  The  troul)le 
with  many  ministers  today  is  they  have  been  look- 
ing at  it  as  being  for  the  Apostles.  They  havi»  lost 
sight  of  the  fact  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  same  yes- 
terday, today  and  forevei-.  They  have  taken  man's 
wisdom  in  the  place  of  what  (lod  says,  and  have  not 
tarried  on  theii-  faces  befoi-e  him  to  know  his  will. 
But  they  study  commentaries  and  many  books  wiii- 
ten  by  men.  study  to  know  the  opinions  of  men.  in- 
jure their  eyes  and  health  di;L:i:iiig  down  after  this 
kind  of  wisdom,  until  it   lias  Immoiih-  tlic  ilicoiv  of 


8()  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

111011  instead  of  the  power  of  (Jrod  with  the  sect 
preachers  in  the  modern  pulpits  of  today.  But  my 
brotlier  it  is  God's  truth  that  he  desires  us  to  preach 
and  God  Avaiits  the  people  to  know  it,  and  he  does 
not  want  the  rubbish  of  man  to  come  up  between 
the  people  and  God's  word. 

We  iind  that  he  told  them  Avhat  to  preach  in  the 
seventh  verse  of  the  tenth  chapter  of  Matthew  and 
continue  reading  to  the  seventeenth  verse :  "And 
as  ye  go  preach,  saying.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
at  hand.  Heal  the  sick,  cleanse  the  lepers,  raise 
the  dead,  cast  out  devils:  freely  ye  have  received, 
freely  give.  Provide  neither  gold,  nor  silver,  nor 
brass  in  your  purses.  Nor  scrip  for  your  journey, 
neither  two  coats,  neither  shoes,  nor  yet  staves :  for 
the  workman  is  worthy  of  his  meat.  And  into  what- 
soever city  or  town  ye  shall  enter,  in<|uire  who  in 
it  is  worthy ;  and  there  abide  till  ye  go  thence.  And 
Avhen  ye  come  into  an  house  salute  it.  And  if  the 
house  is  worthy,  let  your  peace  come  up  on  it,  but  if 
it  be  not  worthy  let  your  peace  return  to  you.  And 
Avhosoever  shall  not  receive  you,  nor  hear  your 
words,  when  ye  depart  out  of  that  house  ^r  city, 
shake  off  the  dust  of  your  feet.  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sod- 
om and  Gomorrha  in  the  day  of  judgment,  that,  for 
that  city.  Behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  sheep  in  the 
midst  of  w^olves;  be  ye  therefore  wise  as  serpents, 
and  harmless  as  doves."  Now  brethern,  this  means 
going  as  God's  ministers  were  sent  in  the  apostolic 
days,  and  he  means  it  yet.  They  proved  faithful, 
then  he  told  them  as  recorded  in  Luke  22  :35-36, 
"And  he  said  unto  them,  When  I  sent  you  without 
purse,  and  scrij),  and  shoes,  lacked  ye  anything? 
And  they  said.  Nothing.  Then  said  he  unto  them. 
But  now,  he  that  hath  a  purse,  let  him  take  it,  and 
likewise  his  scrip."  If  we  do  not  preach  his  word, 
do  not  believe  it,  and  do  not  trust  him  he  cannot 
send  us  forth,  and  God  cannot  use  us  as  he  used 


HOW   I   COT   FAITH  87 

tliciii.  ^\'(•  sec  rlijit  lie  toJd  tliciii  llint  tlicy  should 
b(*  scourjicd  in  the  syiuiiiouiics.  and  Inoiiulil  Ix'torc 
the  ruk'is  and  Ixdorc  couils  for  his  sak«',  l»nt  to 
tako  no  thouiiht  what  thoy  should  say  for  it  should 
bo  <>iv('n  thcni,  for  it  was  not  thcni  that  spcakcth. 
but  the  spirit  of  your  Father  which  s])('ak(*th  in  you. 
So  they  had  the  spiiit  of  (lod  in  llu-ni. 

1  liavc  ol'ttinics  ^onc  to  coininunitics  to  preach, 
and  have  been  accused  and  contU'nined  because  I  did 
not  run  fi-om  house  to  house,  but  wtuild  stay  at  one 
place  whei-e  I  went  in  the  ]>e.uinninji.  jn-ovided  il 
proved  to  be  a  ])lace  ])re])ared  by  tlie  Loid  for  nie. 
It  is  the  secret  of  success  in  the  ndnistiy.  Tf  you 
visit  at  the  ditTerent  places  and  put  in  yiMii-  lime 
g-ossij)inii  and  talking  aljout  thiniis  and  liai)i»eniiius 
of  the  <lay,  you  are  uoinu  to  have  to  j^o  up  before  the 
people  with  a  man  made  message  delivered  without 
ihe  s])irit  of  (Jod,  there  will  not  be  the  power  of  God 
in  the  niessaiic,  and  there  will  be  no  conviction  for 
sin.  no  conviction  for  healinu,  no  benetit.  time  lost 
and  the  conjirejiation  in  a  worse  condition  when 
you  left  them  than  they  were  when  you  went  there. 

r»od  Avants  the  pure  liospel  preached  under  the 
anointing  of  the  Holy  (Jhost.  He  wants  his  minis- 
ters to  lay  on  their  faces  befoic  him  ucttinii  wisdom 
from  him,  and  speakinji  forth  the  word  of  (Jod  in 
such  a  way  that  (lod  will  show  forth  his  ])ower  in 
savin<i'  sinners,  healinu  the  sick  (►f  all  manner  of 
diseases,  and  the  dead  will  l>e  laised  and  (Jod  will 
be  jilorifled  and  the  country  will  be  stirred,  the  devil 
will  howl,  and  mobs  will  come  and  (Jod  will  stay 
the  hand  of  the  enemy,  and  send  out  his  ministeis 
as  flaminji  tii-e  that  will  leave  a  repoit  whei-evei- 
they  lio  that  they  are  preachinn  the  word  of  (!o<l.  s(> 
that  when  the  iK'0])le  that  jio  throuiih  tlieic  will 
know  foi-  years  that  something  has  hai»pene(l. 

Some  say  do  you  know  that  it  was  oidy  the 
twelve  apostles  that  wei-e  j»iven  that  authority?  No 
I  did  not  know  it,  T  have  heaid  it  said,  biu  I  find  in 


88  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

tlie  lOtli  chapter  of  Luke  where  he  called  and  sent 
seventy  more,  sendini>-  them  ont  two  and  tAvo,  <iiving 
them  the  same  authority  and  power  that  he  did  to 
the  twelve.  We  lind  in  Luke  10:1,  "After  these 
things  the  Lord  appointed  other  seventy  also,  and 
sent  them  two  and  two  before  his  face  into  every 
city  and  place,  whither  he  himself  would  come." 
And  the  third  verse,  "I  send  you  forth  as  lambs 
among  wolves."  Also  let  us  notice  Luke  10  :l-9, 
"Carry  neither  purse,  nor  scrip,  nor  shoes :  and  sa- 
lute no  man  by  the  way.  And  into  whatsoever  house 
ye  enter,  first  say,  Peace  be  to  this  house.  And  if 
the  son  of  peace  be  there,  your  peace  shall  rest  upon 
it ;  if  not,  it  shall  turn  to  you  again.  And  in  the 
same  house  remain,  eating  and  drinking  such  things 
as  they  give :  for  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire. 
Go  not  from  house  to  house.  And  into  whatsoever 
city  ye  enter,  and  they  receive  you,  eat  such  things 
as  are  set  before  you:  And  heal  the  sick  that  are 
therein,  and  say  unto  them,  the  Kingdom  of  God  is 
come  nigh  unto  you.''  Also  the  lOtli  and  11th 
verses :  "But  into  whatsoever  city  ye  enter,  and 
they  receive  you  not,  go  your  ways  out  into  the 
streets  of  the  same,  and  say.  Even  the  very  dust  of 
your  city  which  cleaveth  on  us,  we  do  wipe  off 
against  you :  notwithstanding  be  ye  sure  of  this, 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you.'' 

I  have  had  some  experience  on  this  line,  in  the 
latter  clause  of  this  verse.  "Xotwithstanding  be 
ye  sure  of  this,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come 
nigh  unto  you."  But  be  sure  that  whatsoever  you  do 
is  done  in  the  spirit  of  God,  and  that  you  are  led  by 
his  spirit,  and  not  because  you  have  been  mistreat- 
ed, or  because  something  has  happened  through  ig- 
norance, but  because  God  has  shown  you  by  his 
spirit  that  this  is  the  thing  for  you  to  do.  At  one 
time  I  went  to  a  town  to  preach,  a  young  man  went 
with  me,  and  we  put  our  horses  in  a  man's  stable 
that  he  was  acquainted  with.    We  Avent  to  his  house 


now   I  GOT  FAITH  89 

to  stay  until  meetinji'  tiiiio.  Xo  oiio  from  that  house 
went  to  meeting.  Wlien  meetinii  was  dismissed  no 
one  asked  us  home  with  tliem.  We  went  l)a<k  to 
this  man's  house,  and  woke  him  up  and  asked  liini 
if  he  would  please  eome  and  unlock  Ids  stable  door 
and  let  us  take  our  horses  out.  He  got  his  lantern 
and  in  hunting  for  the  lantern  he  lighted  the  lamp 
and  we  saw  a  bed  that  Avas  not  occupied  that  would 
have  been  plenty  good  for  us  to  sleep  in,  I  was  tired 
out.  We  went  to  the  stable,  he  unlocked  the  door, 
and  we  took  out  our  horses,  and  as  we  were  getting 
on  them  the  young  man  said  the  peo])le  of  this  town 
do  not  want  the  gospel  very  nuich.  He  remarked 
we  have  been  preached  to  death,  we  have  just  had 
two  meetings  here.  We  rode  some  distance  out  of 
town  and  stayed  all  night  wliere  we  Avei-e  ac([uaint- 
ed.  As  we  rode  away  I  said  I  shake  the  dust  otf  of 
my  feet  against  this  town  and  people,  and  T  meant 
to  do  it.  When  we  got  to  our  i-oom  whei-e  we  stayed 
all  night,  T  began  to  get  bothei-ed.  I  could  not  sleej), 
got  out  of  my  bed  and  got  on  my  kneex  before  CJod 
and  prayed  most  all  night,  and  this  scripture  came 
to  me,  **l>e  sure  the  kingdom  of  (iod  is  come  nigh 
unto  you."  The  thought  came  to  me  that  I  had  not 
done  what  1  did,  under  the  dictation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  Loid  showed  me  to  return  to  that  town, 
I  went  back  the  next  day  to  fill  the  ai)pointment  as 
1  had  promised.  There  was  (|uite  a  ciowd  came  out, 
the  word  of  ( Jod  went  foil  h  in  powei-,  ( Jod  wit  nessed 
to  his  tinth,  the  jx'ople  got  under  convi<t  ion,  ;iiid 
there  was  a  home  opened  up  for  us,  and  in  ;i  few 
days  1  was  called  out  in  the  country  to  pray  f(»r  a 
blind  man  who  had  been  ])lind  for  eighteen  years. 
He  was  healed  instantly.  In  a  few  days  he  came 
to  town  to  testify  to  the  ])eo])le  of  I  he  healing  power 
of  (Jod,  he  was  well  known  and  the  country  was 
stirred.  There  were  twenty-live  convei-ted,  an<l  a 
number  of  others  henled.  1  w;is  iiiiide  hi  thank  ( 5od 
that   I   lari-ied  before  liiiii   ih;il    iiiuhl.  and  did   not 


90  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

stand  to  my  first  coiulusion,  but  waited  on  God  for 
wisdom. 

Tlu'io  aic  other  instances  wlieie  it  did  not  look 
favorable  for  a  meeting,  but  God  showed  me  to  be- 
gin, and  I  did  so  and  God  bore  witness  that  it  was 
his  will,  that  he  still  honors  his  Avord,  and  the  meet- 
ino'  was  a  success. 

We  see  that  after  Jesus  had  commissioned  his 
ministry  he  set  the  example  before  them,  he  preach- 
ed to  them,  he  saw  that  his  time  Avas  draAving  near. 
He  called  them  together,  as  Ave  see  in  the  14th  chap- 
ter of  John  and  the  12th  verse  he  says,  "Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He  that  believeth  on  me,  the 
works  that  I  do  shall  he  do  also :  and  greater  Avorks 
than  these  shall  he  do :  because  I  go  unto  my  P^ath- 
er."  In  other  words  he  turned  his  commission  over 
to  them,  gaA'^e  them  authority  to  do  what  would  look 
greater  in  the  sight  of  men  than  the  things  that  he 
did. 

O,  but  one  says  that  is  unreasonable.  Let  us  see. 
Was  it  not  after  Jesus  ascended  to  heaven  that  the 
Apostle  Paul  was  converted,  began  preaching,  and 
Avas  cast  upon  the  Island  and  picked  up  a  bundle 
of  sticks  and  laid  them  on  the  fire,  and  a  viper  came 
out  of  the  heat  and  fastened  on  his  hand,  and  the 
barbarians  saw  the  a  enomous  thing  and  said  among 
themselves,  that  the  man  no  doubt  Avas  a  nuirderer 
and  althongh  he  had  escaped  from  the  sea  that  ven- 
geance Avould  not  let  him  live,  but  he  shook  off  the 
Aiper  into  the  fire  and  felt  no  harm,  and  Avhen  they 
looked  AA'hen  he  should  have  swollen,  or  fallen  doAA'u 
dead  suddenly  and  no  harm  came  to  him,  then  the 
heathen  and  barbarians  AA^ere  convinced  of  the  fact 
before  he  left,  that  he  was  a  man  of  God.  They 
looked  upon  him  as  being  a  god,  though  he  had  been 
a  persecutor  of  the  church  of  God,  though  he  had 
been  an  opposer  of  the  truth,  it  Avas  more  wonderful 
to  see  him  do  these  things  than  it  was  to  see  Jesus 
Christ  say  to  the  paralyzed  man  who  had  not  Avalked 


HOW  I  G(JT  FAITH  91 

for  thirty-eight  years  to  take  up  his  bed  and  walk 
that  the  people  iniglit  believe  that  Jesus  had  power 
on  earth  to  forgive  sins.  We  see  where  I'aul  sends 
aprons  and  handkerchiefs  fioni  his  body  to  the 
afflicted,  and  those  who.  received  tlieni  were  healed. 
Was  tliis  not  more  Avonderful  than  for  Jesus  to  say, 
"Go  thy  way,  thy  son  liveth." 

Again  in  John  14  :  15-10,  "If  ye  love  me,  keep  my 
eommandments.  And  I  Avill  pray  the  Father,  and 
he  shall  give  you  another  Comforter,  that  he  may 
abide  with  you  for  ever;-'  Also  the  17th  verse, 
"Even  the  S])irit  of  trulh;  whom  the  woi-ld  cannot 
receive  because  it  seetli  him  not,  neithei-  knoweth 
him;  but  ye  know  him;  for  he  dwelleth  with  you, 
and  shall  be  in  you."  This  comforter  is  promised  to 
abide  with  tliem  foi-ever.  When  we  have  the  com- 
forter we  will  not  Ijecome  puffed  up,  but  will  know, 
like  my  son  Charley,  when  he  was  a  little  boy  he 
preached  a  wonderful  sermon,  and  people  lifted  him 
U[)  and  passed  him  fi-om  one  to  the  other  kissing  and 
hugging  him,  1  took  him  to  the  woods  and  tried  to 
impress  upon  his  mind  the  danger  of  getting  exalt- 
ed. I  said,  "My  .son,  the  Lord  wonderftdly  used  you 
last  iiiglit,  and  there  were  twenty-one  conversions, 
the  people  were  in  tears,  ])tU  do  not  lose  sight  of  the 
fact  that  it  was  God  that  did  it,  and  you  nuist  not 
let  the  people  get  you  exalted.  He  said,  "Papa, 
don't  you  be  uneasy.  T  know  it  was  God,  I  could  do 
notliing  [n-eaching  without  him."  Vet  he  was  only 
a  little  past  twelve  years  old.  (),  that  God  could 
help  us  to  see  it  as  he  made  that  diild  to  see  it. 
There  woubl  be  more  preachers  used  of  (lod  than 
there  ar«'  now.  I  know  ol"  men  that  (Jod  ()nce  used 
as  power  in  his  h;inds,  that  were  honored  by  the 
people,  bragged  on.  and  they  became  exalted,  and 
they  are  in  sin  and  away  from  God  today,  and  seem- 
ingly there  is  no  hojie  fen-  their  return.  They  liiiled 
to  let  the  coml'orter  be  with  iheni  and  idolect  iIh-M) 
tfom  the  snares  of  the  (h'vil. 


92  now   I  GOT  FAITH 

KoAv,  we  hear  Jesus  saying  to  his  disciples  in 
John  14:17,  ''Even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  Avhoni  tlie 
woi-ld  cannot  receive,  because  it  seetli  him  not, 
neither  knoweth  liini :  but  ye  know  liini :  for  he 
dwelletli  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you."  Also  verses 
18  and  1  J) :  ''I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless ;  I  Avill 
come  to  you.  Y(4  a  little  while,  and  the  Avorld  seeth 
me  no  more ;  but  ye  see  me ;  because  I  live,  ye  shall 
live  also.  He  had  reference  to  himself,  the  world 
did  not  know  him.  He  Avas  a  man  filled  with  God, 
he  was  a  comfort  to  his  disciples,  he  spoke  to  them 
comforting  words,  if  they  wanted  information  from 
him  of  any  kind,  or  words  of  advice  they  only  had 
to  go  to  him.  He  gave  a  promise  here  that  if  they 
would  keep  his  commandments  they  would  come  in 
possession  of  this  comforter,  that  he  would  be  with 
them,  that  he  would  teach  them,  and  that  he  would 
do  eA'en  more  for  them  than  he  could  do  now.  He 
Avas  to  be  the  spirit  of  truth,  the  world  could  not 
have  liim  because  the  world  did  not  know  him. 
They  looked  upon  Jesus  as  being  an  imposter,  they 
accused  him  of  being  such,  but  his  disciples  knew 
him,  that  he  was  their  Lord.  IS^oav  he  was  going  to 
provide  a  way  that  after  he  left  they  might  have 
him  Avith  them  all  the  time,  and  as  it  is  uoav.  We 
can  commune  Avitli  Christ  uoav  at  all  times,  whether 
Ave  be  under  the  lash,  or  in  prison,  in  trouble  of  any 
kind,  under  severe  persecution  and  seemingly  all 
liell  coming  against  us,  Ave  can  call  on  Him,  we  can 
get  comfort  from  Him  like  sainted  Stephen  did 
Avhen  he  Avas  dying  under  the  haiuls  of  the  cruel 
mob  stoning  him.  The  comforter  stayed  Avith  him 
and  enabled  him,  like  Jesus,  to  pray  for  his  enemies 
with  his  last  breath. 

AVhen  Lazarus  Avas  sick  and  died  they  said  if 
Jesus  had  been  here  he  Avould  not  have  died.  No 
doubt  they  felt  grieved  because  Jesus  did  not  come. 
He  said  to  them  he  Avould  live  again.  They  said  yes 
Ave  knoAv  that  he  aaIII  live  at  the  resnri-ectiou.     But 


now   I   (JOT    FAITH  93 

Jesus  assured  lliciii  tlial  lie  woiiM  lixc  now.  ;iii<l 
asked  where  they  had  Iain  him.  The.v  told  him 
tliat  he  liad  been  l)uiie(l  lour  ihiys,  and  l>.v  Ihis  time 
he  stinketh.  But  Jesus  insisted  upon  tliem  show- 
ing him  where  Lazai'us  was  laid,  and  they  took  liini 
to  tlu'  tond).  He  we])t  witli  tlu)se  wlio  wei)t,  he 
showed  his  sympatliy,  lie  showed  his  lov<'.  yet  he  did 
not  compromise.  They  had  ]u<)\('d  to  iiim  thai  they 
did  not  ha\'e  faith  in  him.  now  he  wanle^i  ihem  to 
])rove  to  him  tliat  they  did  have  faith,  then  lie  said, 
take  away  the  stone.  He  coidd  have  taken  away  the 
stone  himself,  but  he  wanted  them  to  move  it.  My 
brother  if  you  want  to  piay  to  (iod  and  act  returns 
from  him,  you  nnist  take  away  the  stone. 

There  are  many  A^■ho  would  like  to  ]u-ea(h  like 
the  Apostle  Taul,  would  like  to  l>eai'  the  name  he 
bore,  and  would  like  to  pi'ay  the  prayer  of  fail  li  I  liai 
would  heal  the  sick  like  he  did,  but  they  do  iiol  want 
to  take  away  the  stone,  they  do  not  want  to  live 
like  he  did.  They  do  not  like  to  bear  llie  persecu- 
tion that  Paul  bore,  they  would  fail  lo  preach  I  lie 
whole  ti-iilh  and  to  stan<l  I'oi-  llie  delciise  ol'  ihe  gos- 
pel like  Paul  i-ather  than  beai-  the  forty  stripes  less 
one  live  times.  If  you  want  anythinu  from  (Jod  you 
nuist  remove  evei-y  thinii  which  lays  between  you 
and  Him,  and  do  iu)t  expect  him  to  move  it.  When 
they  took  away  the  stone,  Jesus  showed  forth  (Jod's 
])ower.  and  set  the  example  for  the  prayei-  of  failli. 
He  <lid  not  say  I^'allier  if  it  be  <-onsisienl  willi  ihy 
will,  and  if  il  be  lo  your  uloiy,  and  if  all  llie  |)eople 
will  belie\(',  brinu  Lazarus  forth.  He  never  had  an 
if  in  il .  but  he  looked  up  unio  heaven  and  said.  I'al  It- 
er. I  I  hank  thee  that  thou  hast  heard  me.  And  1 
knew  Ilia!  I  lion  hearest  me  always:  biil  because  of 
the  people  which  stand  by  1  said  it.  llial  I  hey  may 
believe  I  hat  Ihou  hast  sent  me.  And  when  he  thus 
had  spoken,  he  ciied  with  a  a  loud  voice.  Lazarus, 
come  forlli,"  .loliii  ll:ll-l.'l.  Lazarus  caiiK'  loiMh 
bound    hand    and    fool    willi    uraxccloi  lies,   and    his 


94  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

faci'  wjis  boinid  about  witli  a  napkin,  and  Jesus 
said  unto  tluMii,  "loose  him,  and  let  liini  go."  We 
have  an  account  aitci-  tliat  wIum-c  lie  sat  at  the  table 
with  Jesus,  but  the  people;  Avauted  to  get  hold  of  Mni 
because;  he  had  proved  Ood's  poAver  to  them.  It  is 
the  same  way  today.  God  has  promised  us  that 
Avhen  Ave  come  into  possession  of  this  comforter, 
Avhicli  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  He  Avill  teach  us  all 
things  that  he  has  commanded  us. 

AVhen  Ave  are  sick  Ave  are  taught  to  call  on  the 
Lord,  James  5:14-1(),  "Is  any  sick  among  you?  let 
him  call  for  the  elders  of  the  church :  and  let  them 
pray  over  him,  anointing  him  Avith  oil  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord :  And  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the 
sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up;  and  if  he 
have  connnitted  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him. 
Confess  your  faults  one  to  another,  that  ye  may  be 
healed."  It  does  not  say  for  a  hot  poultice ;  for  an 
ash  bag ;  for  a  hot  Avater  bottle ;  for  a  Avet  rag,  cold 
or  hot ;  or  call  for  a  doctor  to  come  and  see  Avhat  is 
the  matter.  He  said  call  for  the  elders  of  the 
church.  Now,  in  the  country  where  Ave  used  to  live 
there  wcM-e  three  kinds  of  elders.  One  kind  grcAV  in 
the  fence  corner,  and  Avas  full  of  pith :  another  kind 
is  elected  by  men,  and  they  were  just  about  as  pithy 
as  those  that  grcAV  in  the  fence  corner,  and  there 
were  God  sent  elders,  called  and  chosen  of  him,  the 
same  as  in  the  apostolic  days,  that  he  speaks  of  in 
Acts  20:28,  "Take  heed  therefore  unto  yourseh'es, 
and  to  all  the  flock,  over  the  AAiiich  the  Holy  Ghost 
hath  made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  church  of  God, 
Avhich  he  hath  purchased  Avith  his  oavu  blood." 
Those  are  (^od  sent  elders  Avhich  pray  for  the  sick 
and  God  heals  them,  this  is  the  kind  of  elders  that 
God  Avants  us  to  be  brethern,  and  this  does  not  mean 
that  you  can  be  teaching  remedies  to  the  people, 
and  using  them  before  them. 

In  order  to  be  this  kind  of  an  eider  you  aaHI  haA'e 
to  denv  A'ourself  of  the  thiniis  of  this  world.    Jesus 


now   I  GOT   FAITH  \)o 

says  ill  -lolm  l")::;,  "-Now  ye  arc  clean  lliroiiuli  the 
word  which  I  liavc  spoken  unto  you."  It  means  that 
they  liad  been  accepted,  that  they  weie  clean  from 
all  foolishness  aud  idolatry  and  luinccessaiies  that 
they  had  iiiveii  place  to  the  tiuth.  tliat  they  luid  a<- 
cepted  and  obeyed  it.  lie  tells  us  in  the  ITtli  Cliai)- 
ter  of  St.  John  and  the  Sth  verse,  "For  I  have  j>iven 
unto  them  the  words  which  thou  j»avest  me:  and 
they  have  received  them,  and  have  known  suiely 
that  I  <aiiie  out  from  thee,  and  they  have  believed 
that  thou  didst  send  me."  And  he  prays  for  their 
sanctification,  statin ji,  that  they  are  not  of  the  world 
even  as  he  is  not  of  the  world.  In  tlie  20th  verse, 
''Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also 
wliich  shall  believe  on  me  throuiih  their  word." 
Here  he  prays  not  for  them  alone,  but  for  all  that 
miuht  believe  on  him  throiiiih  his  word,  and  that 
they  miiiht  all  be  one,  notice  the  21st  verse.  ""That 
they  all  may  Ix'  one  as  thou  L'athei-,  ait  in  me,  and  I 
in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us:  that  the 
world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me." 

He  lioes  to  the  uarden  of  (lethsemaiic  and  lays 
on  his  face,  and  sets  us'  an  example  how  that  we 
should  tarry  before  (Jod,  and  behold  the  example 
that  lie  set  before  ns.  (Jet  ])ower  from  God  that 
will  enable  us  to  look  away  from  the  things  of  the 
world,  lose  sijLiht  of  the  thiiiiis  around  you.  and  fol- 
low the  exam])le  which  Jesus  has  set.  lie  knew 
that  he  was  uoiiiii  to  the  cross.  (Jod  «»ave  him  power 
to  say  thy  will  be  done.  Xext  we  see  him  in  the 
judmiieiil  hall,  the  lash  is  laid  on  his  ba<-k.  the  uasli- 
es  iiia<le  and  the  blood  Hows,  thus  the  j)ropliesy  of 
Isaiah  is  inltilled.  wlieic  he  says,  "P>y  his  sti-ijies 
are  we  healed."  (fO<l  does  not  want  us  as  ministers 
to  deny  this,  he  wants  us  to  show  by  our  lives  and 
preaching  that  these  stripes  have  accoiiiplished 
their  purjtose.  It  is  true  it  is  made  fun  of  by  the 
sectarian  prea<liers  in  the  niodeni  pulpits.  laiiLilieil 
at  bv  sectarians  and  deluded  soiils.  iimiored  by  sonic 


9(>  now   I  GOT  FAITH 

prolcsscd  s;iiii(s.  My  friend  this  makes  no  differ- 
ence. It  w;is  llici-e  that  Jesus  atoned  by  the  shed- 
rtinj>'  of  liis  blood  and  made  a  way  whereby  all  sick 
and  suffering  liumanity  might  come  to  the  great 
healing  fountain  that  flows  from  the  heart  of  God 
tliat  lieals  all  maniiei-  of  diseases.  It  is  for  the  man 
or  woman  that  loves,  serves  and  obeys  God  in  spite 
of  all  the  opposing  powers  in  hell. 

Now  we  see  him  bear  his  cross  up  Calvary,  now 
he  is  nailed  to  the  rugged  cross  and  hangs  between 
heaven  and  earth. 

Let  us  review  his  life  a  little :  He  came  to  the 
world,  was  born  in  a  stable  because  there  was  no 
room  for  him  in  the  inn,  he  was  wrapped  in  swad- 
dling clothes.  He  said  the  foxes  have  holes,  and  the 
birds  of  the  air  have  nests,  but  the  Son  of  man  hath 
not  where  to  lay  his  head.  When  he  dies  he  is 
drawn  up  between  heaven  and  earth,  no  place  for 
him  to  die  on  the  earth. 

They  mocking  him  platted  a  crown  of  thorns  and 
placed  it  on  his  head  and  a  reed  in  his  right  hand, 
and  bowed  the  knee  before  him  and  mocked  him, 
said  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews.  They  spit  upon  him, 
and  took  the  reed  and  smote  him  on  the  head,  and 
they  drove  the  spikes  through  the  feet  that  carried 
the  glad  tidings  over  the  hills  of  Judea.  We  hear 
him  crying  out  with  that  voice  that  commanded  the 
winds  to  cease  and  the  Avaves  to  be  still,  '"I  thirst." 
We  see  them  giving  him  vinegar  and  gall,  he  refuses 
to  take  it.  We  hear  him  crying  out,  "My  God,  my 
God,  Avhy  hast  thou  forsaken  me?''  Xow  the  Son 
of  God  cries  with  a  loud  voice  it  is  finished,  then  this 
old  Avorld  was  clothed  in  darkness,  the  veil  of  the 
temple  was  rent  in  tAvain  from  the  top  to  the  bot- 
tom:  and  the  earth  did  quake,  and  the  rocks  rent; 
and  the  gi-aves  were  opened :  and  many  bodies  of  the 
saints  came  cmt  of  the  graves.  When  the  centurion, 
and  those  Avith  him  Avatching  Jesus,  saw  the  earth- 
(juake,  and  the  things  that  Avere  done,  they  feared 


liuw  I  c;()T  I  A  ITU  97 

and  said,  truly  lliis  was  the  Son  ol  ( lod.  It  was  too 
late,  lie  was  dead. 

My  brother  preacher,  when  you  close  your  eyes 
ill  death  it  will  be  too  late  then  to  ]»rea(li  the  irulli 
as  God  lias  called  you  to  preach  it.  It  will  be  too 
late  to  say  that  (iod  must  have  wanted  iiie  to  be  true 
to  him,  and  not  conform  to  the  world,  but  to  preach 
the  whole  liospel,  it  will  be  too  late  then,  now  is  the 
time  to  do  it. 

We  see  that  Christ  was  taken  trom  the  cross  by 
Joseph  and  lai<l  in  his  own  new  tomb :  was  born  in 
a  borroAved  stable,  he  had  no  where  to  lay  his  head : 
died  on  a  borrowed  cross:  he  was  buried  in  a  ln)r- 
rowed  tomb,  but  tliaidc  (lod  it  was  the  plan  of  sal- 
vation completed  which  Avill  raise  fallen  humanity 
from  under  the  blight  of  sin,  death  and  hell  and 
deliver  them  out  of  the  hands  of  their  enemy  the 
devil  and  enable  them  to  Avalk  and  talk  with  God 
and  ])rove  to  the  world  there  is  a  reality  in  the  plan 
of  salvation. 

I  pray  ( Jod  Almighty  to  bless  this  message  to  his 
glory  and  to  the  good  of  fallen  humanity,  and  es- 
pecially to  ministers,  and  put  a  stir  in  their  souls  to 
be  an  honor  to  the  call  God  has  given  you  and  to  fill 
it  the  Bible  wav. 


98  J  low  I  GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTER  XI. 


THE  APOSTOLIC  CHURCH. 


"As  tliou  hast  sent  me  into  the  Avorld,  even  so 
have  I  also  sent  them  into  the  world."  St.  John 
17  :18. 

Now  we  see  in  this  text  that  Jesus  sent  the 
church  as  the  Father  had  sent  him.  In  or<ler  to  give 
you  a  better  understanding  of  the  resi^onsibility 
that  rested  upon  the  church,  and  of  the  commission 
that  Jesus  gave  them,  we  had  better  review  the  life 
of  Christ  and  his  ministry  a  little. 

First  Ave  find  that  Christ  was  born  of  a  woman, 
he  was  flesh  and  blood,  he  was  raised  by  a  carpen- 
ter, he  reached  the  years  of  manhood,  and  went  to 
preaching  the  gospel,  and  setting  the  example,  and 
exhorting  the  believers  to  follow  in  his  steps.  He 
Avas  once  a  babe  and  grew  to  be  a  man,  he  was  a 
man  filled  with  God,  and  God  poAver  through  him 
made  the  blind  to  see,  and  the  lame  to  walk,  the 
deaf  to  hear  and  the  dumb  to  talk,  the  dead  was 
raised  and  all  manner  of  ahliction  was  healed 
through  Jesus  Christ  by  the  poAver  of  God  that  was 
in  him. 

XoAV  he  tells  us  in  the  third  chapter  of  First 
John  and  in  the  second  verse,  ''Beloved,  noAv  are  we 
the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  Avhat  we 
shall  be:  but  Ave  knoAV  that  when  he  shall  appear, 
AA'e  shall  be  like  him ;  for  aa^c  shall  see  him  as  he  is." 
Now,  this  does  not  mean  that  Ave  Avill  be  gods,  that 
Ave  can  create  Avorlds,  but  it  means  as  Jesus  Christ 
was  a  man  filled  Avith  God,  we  must  be  men  and 
AA^omen  filled  Avitli  God,  and  he  means  that  the  God 
power  in  him  will  draw  the  God  poAver  in  us  to  him. 
To  make  it  more  impressive,  in  the  third  verse  he 
says,  "And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him 


now  1  CiOT  FAITII  UJ) 

purifies  himself  even  as  lie  is  imic."  Xow  Ave  find 
that  after  (Miiist  had  manifested  his  jtower  in  the 
way  that  he  did  before  the  di.seiples  then  he  com- 
missioned them  to  do  the  thin,us  that  he  did.  and 
<ireater  thinus  than  he  did,  as  you  will  see  in  .lohn 
14:12,  ''\'eiHy,  verily,  1  say  unto  you.  Jle  that  be- 
lieveth  on  me,  the  works  that  I  do  shall  he  do  also; 
and  greater  works  than  these  shall  he  do :  because 
I  i»o  unto  my  Father."  Then  in  the  lath  verse,  '"If 
ye  love  me,  keei)  my  eommandments."  Also  the  Kith 
verse,  ''And  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall 
give  yoti  another  Comforter,  that  he  niay  abide  with 
you  for  ever.''  This  is  the  God  power  that  Christ 
had  ]>romis(Ml  men  and  women  who  renunn  in 
Christ,  power  over  sin  and  the  devil  and  to  have 
faith  in  God  to  know  that  whatsoever  they  ask  him 
he  will  grant  them.  Xot  to  come  saying,  if  it  is  tin- 
will  and  if  this  or  that  or  the  other  thing  be  thy  will, 
but  eome  with  boldness  knowing  that  we  have  done 
our  part,  that  we  have  fulfilled  the  commission  that 
he  has  given  us,  that  we  are  entitled  to  what  he  has 
]»roniised  us:  that  he  c()nsi<lers  otir  needs  and  is 
willing  to  sup[)ly  them,  and  that  it  is  our  inheri- 
tance brought  about  by  our  obedience,  just  the  same 
as  an  earthly  child  is  heir  to  his  earthly  father's 
possessions.  The  Xew  Testament  is  the  will  of  God 
to  tis.  It  is  recor(h'd  in  heaven,  and  when  we  make 
our  application  according  to  its  teaching  by  the 
s]>irit  of  (xod  it  is  granted. 

Xow  to  consecrate  for  this,  means  more  than  to 
get  down  to  the  altar  and  peep  through  your  fin- 
gers and  watch,  to  see  the  j)reacher  that  you  have 
confidence  in  to  come  to  instruct  you.  It  means  to 
kee]>  the  commamlments  of  God  to  the  letter,  to  all 
the  ability  that  you  have.  To  lay  on  your  face  be- 
fore (Jod  and  ask  to  know  his  will,  to  commit  your 
whole  soul,  spirit  mind  and  body  into  God's  hands, 
for  your  will  to  be  his  will.  That  you  can  say  from 
Ihe  depths  of  your  heart  as  Jesus  Christ  said  in  the 


100  ilOW  1  GOT  F.MTII 

iijirdcn  of  (Hctliscnitmc  wlicic  he  prayed  thin;  times 
to  the  Fatlici-  until  he  sweat  as  j^reat  drops  of  blood 
and  he  knew  that  the  mob  was  coming  after  him 
tjiat  they  were  jioinj*  to  take  him  to  the  Judj^nient 
Hall,  strip  his  raiment  from  his  body,  cut  his  back 
into  juashes  that  the  blood  Avas  to  flow  (h)wn  his 
limbs  that  the  prophesy  of  Isaiah  mii;ht  be  ful- 
filled, where  he  says,  "By  his  stripes  we  are  healed." 
From  that  he  was  to  go  to  the  cross  and  there  to 
iiive  up  his  life  for  the  salvation  of  the  Avorld  that 
all  mankind  might  be  redeemed  from  sin,  sickness 
and  disease. 

He  said  not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done.  Reader 
when  yon  knoAv  that  there  are  great  persecutions 
just  in  front  of  you  God  will  never  fail  to  give  you 
the  assistance  that  you  need,  he  will  give  you  the 
assurance  in  your  heart  and  by  his  word  that  he 
will  permit  nothing  to  come  on  you  more  than  you 
are  able  to  bear,  and  that  he  will  strengthen  you  by 
his  spirit,  and  not  let  more  come  than  is  for  his 
glory,  the  salvation  of  souls  and  convince  the  world 
that  you  are  not  of  the  world. 

XoAV,  we  see  that  he  had  made  these  promises  on 
the  condition  that  they  would  keep  his  commands, 
he  said  that  he  Avould  send  this  Comforter,  which 
Avas  the  Holy  Ghost  and  that  he  should  teach  them 
all  things  which  he  had  commanded.  Xow,  this 
means  that  he  Avill  teach  you  to  live  like  he  lived,  to 
be  like  he  was ;  that  he  will  kill  all  the  pride  in  your 
heart,  that  there  will  be  nothing  there  that  Avill  be 
reaching  out  for  the  things  of  this  world,  there  will 
be  no  desire  to  adorn  the  body  with  the  things  of 
this  world,  such  as  plumes,  feathers,  rag  flowers, 
neck  ties,  gold,  stick  pins,  rings,  ear  rings,  nose 
rings,  hobble  skirts,  and  such  things  as  are  con- 
dennied  by  the  Avord  of  God  and  disgusting  in  the 
sight  of  moral  people.  Your  heart  has  no  desire  for 
these  things  AAiien  it  is  filled  Asith  God. 

We  see  that  this  is  the  kind  of  people  that  Jesus 


IKJW  1  GOT  lAITll  101 

Avas  prnyiiim  for  in  tlic  ITtli  (Miai)t('r  of  St.  .loliii, 
bccaufsi'  111'  told  lliciii  in  tlie  Fiftwiitli  Chapter  of 
8t.  John  and  the  third  verse,  "Now  ye  are  (lean 
throu<ih  the  word  whicli  1  have  spoken  unto  you.'' 
This  was  l)efore  he  liad  evei-  prayed  for  them  to  be 
sanctified,  this  was  after  he  had  told  them  "if  ye 
keep  my  commandments." 

XoAV  he  is  talkin«>'  to  them  and  says  tlial  iliey 
have  kept  his  commandments,  that  they  are  clean 
through  the  Avord.  To  be  clean  through  the  word 
means  to  obey  the  Avord,  that  your  lieart  is  emptied 
from  all  desire  foi-  such  things  as  we  have  just 
named. 

In  the  17th  (Miaptei-  of  St.  John  he  piays  the 
prayer  that  he  had  projuised  them  in  the  14th  Chap- 
ter, and  Avhile  we  referred  to  this  in  the  preceeding 
chapter  T  think  it  Avotild  be  well  to  refer  to  it  again 
in  this  chapter,  as  the  text  says  he  sent  them  foi-th 
as  the  Father  sent  him.  "'As  thou  hast  sent  me  into 
the  woi'ld,  even  so  have  I  also  sent  them  into  the 
Avoi-ld."  So  we  see  noAV  that  he  says  to  the  Father 
in  his  ]>rayei',  beginning  at  the  ninth  vei-se,  "T  i)ray 
for  them;  1  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them 
which  thou  hast  given  me ;  for  they  are  thine.  And 
all  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine:  and  I  am 
gloritied  in  them."  Hence,  if  he  is  not  glorified  in 
them  then  it  is  impossible  for  the  infilling  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  come  destroying  the  carnal  nature. 
Notice  the  11th  verse,  "And  now  I  aju  no  more  in 
the  world,  but  these  are  in  the  woild.  and  I  come  to 
thee.  Holy  Father,  keep  through  lliine  own  name 
those  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  be 
one,  as  we  are."  He  did  not  say  they  were  to  be 
kept  in  ^Ir.  Luther's  name,  though  he  was  a  good 
man,  nor  in  Mr.  Wesley's  name,  though  we  lu'lieve 
he  was  a  good  man,  ami  he  did  not  pray  that  they 
be  kept  in  Mr.  Fox's  name  or  Mr.  Calvin's  name  or 
Mr.  Cam])beirs  name,  though  they  were  all  good 
men,  and  many  others  that  we  could  name  walking 


102  now   I  GOT  FAITH  '"   > 

ill  all  Mic  liijlij  Hint  flicy  luul,  l)ut  thoir  time  is  past, 
but  (}od's  woi'd  has  not  clunii'cd. 

For  tliis  reason  he  said  to  you  through  the  Apos- 
tle John,  1  John  1  :7,  "But  if  Ave  walk  in  the  light, 
as  ]m  is  in  the  light,  we  have  fellowship  one  with 
another;  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son 
cleanseth  us  fi-oni  all  sin."  It  is  impossible  for  peo- 
ple who  have  light  on  God's  word  that  those  early 
reformers  did  not  have  and  fail  to  walk  in  that  light 
to  hold  to  the  light,  they  had  and  get  the  cleansing- 
blood  of  Jesus  and  hold  favor  with  God. 

He  says  to  keep  in  thine  own  name.  In  the  12th 
verse  of  the  17th  Chapter  of  St.  John  we  read, 
"AVhile  I  was  with  them  in  the  world,  I  kept  them 
ill  thy  name :  those  that  thou  gavest  me  I  have  kept, 
and  none  of  them  is  lost,  but  the  son  of  perdition ; 
that  the  scripture  might  be  fulfilled."  Xow  it 
seems  to  me  that  Jesus  called  the  Father's  attention 
to  the  fact  that  Judas  was  lost  because  of  not  keep- 
ing the  commandments,  not  being  kept  in  his  name, 
or  in  other  words  because  he  refused  to  be  kept,  and 
betrayed  the  Son  of  God.  We  do  not  have  to  kill 
today  to  betray  the  Son  of  God,  but  we  are  to  be  a 
light  to  the  world.  Jesus  says  in  one  place,  "Ye  are 
the  light  of  the  world."  Now,  we  are  to  be  lights, 
and  prove  by  our  life  that  the  Bible  is  true  and  that 
Christ's  prayer  has  been  answered,  and  not  do  as 
Judas  did,  put  him  to  an  open  shame.  If  we  con- 
form to  the  world,  look  and  act  as  the  world,  we  say 
to  the  world  there  is  nothing  in  the  prayer  of  Christ 
in  the  17th  Chapter  of  St.  John.  In  the  13th  verse, 
"And  now  come  I  to  thee ;  and  these  things  I  speak 
in  the  world,  that  they  might  have  my  joy  fulfilled 
in  themselves."  He  shows  here  that  his  prayer  was 
not  fulfilled  in  them,  that  it  took  the  Comforter, 
wliich  he  had  promised,  and  was  now  praying  for,  to 
fulfill  his  joy  in  them  and  put  them  in  possession  of 
power  that  would  cause  them  to  love  to  keep  his 


HOW   I  GOT  FAITH  1  (Ki 

name  and  hold  his  iiaiiic  al)ov('  any  otlici-  iiaiiic  on 
earth. 

Some  say,  well  it  does  not  matter  anytliiiijn  about 
the  name.  You  ean  be  a  Christian  and  be  a  Metlio- 
dist,  Baptist,  Presbyterian,  Campbelite  or  bear  any 
other  denominational  name,  the  name  does  not  mat- 
ter. 

Reader,  are  you  a  married  man  or  woman?  ]f  so, 
when  you  stepped  on  the  tloor  and  took  your  bride 
by  the  hand  and  she  was  asked  the  question,  would 
she  forsake  all  for  you,  and  she  wouhl  say  that  she 
was  Avilling  to  many  you,  but  she  wanted  to  bear 
that  other  fellow's  name  that  she  had  been  going 
with,  and  that  she  would  love  you,  but  she  Avould 
obey  his  orders.  "Would  the  Avedding  have  gone  any 
further?  AVould  yon  not  have  stopped  it?  Are  you 
a  member  of  the  bride  of  Christ  today,  if  so  are  you 
ashamed  of  your  name?  Do  you  think  that  after 
him  pi-aying  this  prayer  to  the  Father  to  send  this 
Comfortei',  the  Holy  (Jihost,  to  enable  us  to  be  kept 
in  the  Father's  name,  and  that  now  you  are  not 
Avilling  to  be  called  his  child  but  you  bear  a  sectar- 
ian name,  yet  you  still  want  to  be  one  of  his  bride. 
He  is  coming  after  his  bride,  it  Avill  liave  to  bear  his 
name  when  he  comes. 

Well,  in  this  you  say  there  is  no  body  in  sectar- 
ianism that  is  saved.  No,  I  did  not  say  that.  I 
have  just  said  furtluM-  back  in  this  chaptei-,  that 
Luther,  Wesley  and  those  reformers  weic  good  men. 
T  l)elieve  that  they  were  saved  and  Avalking  in  all  the 
light  that  they  had,  but  had  they  had  the  light  that 
you  can  have  there  would  have  been  the  church  of 
God  instead  of  the  Lutheran,  Methodist,  l-.aptist, 
Campbelite,  but  they  did  not  have  the  light  that  you 
now  have.  In  ordei-  to  hold  fellowship  with  Cod 
and  his  people  you  have  to  walk  in  the  light  of  the 
gospel.  In  St.  dohn  17:14,  "I  have  given  them  thy 
word;  and  the  woild  hath  hated  them,  because  they 
are  not  of  the  world,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world." 


104  UOW  I  GOT  FAITH  \ 

Is  lluH  Hie  way  tluif  it  is  with  lis  today?  Are  you 
so  tilled  witli  (Jod,  Iceepinii  his  eoiuiuaiids  so  strict, 
bear  liis  name,  discard  all  othei-  iiaiues  and  hold  to 
the  Bible  name,  the  church  of  the  living  God,  the 
one  that  Jesus  founded  upon  the  rock,  and  said  the 
gates  of  hell  should  not  prevail  against  it.  Are  you 
doing  this  so  much  that  it  brings  persecution 
against  you  aud  causes  the  world  and  the  worldly 
church  members  to  make  fuii  and  talk  about  you 
and  call  you  a  fanatic?  If  you  are  not  you  had  bet- 
ter go  to  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane,  as  Jesus  did 
and  lay  on  your  face  before  God  until  you  can  get 
your  worldly  desires  killed  in  your  heart,  until  you 
can  say  like  Jesus,  not  my  mil,  but  thine  be  done. 

In  the  15tli  verse,  "I  pray  not  that  thou  sliould- 
est  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but  that  thou  should- 
est  keep  them  from  the  evil.''  "From  the  evil." 
That  would  be  to  keep  them  from  going  any  where 
that  Jesus  would  not  go  Av^th  them.  Would  he  go 
to  a  fair,  though  it  be  a  World's  Fair,  a  picnic,  bar- 
becue, a  show,  mix  and  conform  with  the  world,  box 
suppers,  play  j^arties,  and  such  things  as  the  world 
enjoys.  You  know  he  would  not  do  it.  Those  for 
whom  he  was  praying  had  so  much  God  in  them  that 
they  Avould  not  do  it,  for,  he  prays  the  Father  to 
keep  them  from  evil.  He  says  they  are  not  of  the 
world  as  I  am  not  of  the  world.  He  does  not  want 
them  taken  out  of  the  world,  he  wants  them  to  live 
in  the  world,  as  he  will  show  later  to  be  a  Light  in 
the  world. 

Some  people  say  we  cannot  be  sanctified  until 
death,  and  at  the  dying  moment  a  person  can  be 
sanctified.  I  heard  of  an  incident,  I  do  not  know 
how  true  it  is,  I  only  give  it  as  a  report.  There  was 
a  Presb3i:erian  that  was  d}4ng,  they  are  taught  that 
a  person  cannot  be  sanctified  until  they  come  to  die, 
and  they  sent  for  the  minister  to  come  as  he  had  to 
be  sanctified  before  he  died.  The  preacher  and  some 
others  were  gathered  around  the  dying  man's  bed- 


now  1  GOT  FAITH  105 

yidc  pi-ayiiiu  for  (lod  to  sanctify  liiiii.  tlic  individual 
became  vciy  iiiucli  iiitcicsicd  alioul  himself  and 
they  all  became  much  interested  and  prayed  earn- 
estly for  (iod  to  sanctify  him,  they  were  Avalkin<i  in 
all  the  liiilit  they  had,  were  prayinii  in  faith  and 
God  sanctified  him,  reaction  set  up  and  the  dyinu 
man  ji,ot  well,  ^'ow  they  had  prayed  for  him  to  ]>e 
sanctified,  he  did  not  die,  they  did  not  know  what 
to  do,  they  could  not  kill  liim  without  committinu' 
murder,  they  had  prayed  for  him  to  be  sanctitied 
and  he  had  received  wliat  they  had  prayed  for,  CJod 
had  answered  prayer,  and  sanctification  was  con- 
trary to  their  church  doctrine,  they  could  not  tell 
him  to  <>ive  it  uj),  and  they  could  not  let  him  stay 
in  the  church  without  bicakinin  the  rule,  so  there 
they  were  in  a  mix-up  and  confusion,  they  did  not 
know  what  to  do. 

Xow  Jesus  i)rays  the  Father  not  to  take  them 
out  of  the  world  but  to  keep  them  from  evil.  This 
does  not  mean  they  nuist  be  sanctified  to  keep  them 
from  the  evil,  for  these  were  not  yet  sanctified.  It 
means  to  keep  them  from  the  evil  in  order  to  be 
sanctified.  Jesus  in  the  KJth  verse  says,  '"They  are 
not  of  the  world,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world.'' 
And  in  the  17th  verse,  ''Sanctify  them  throuuh  thy 
truth  :  thy  word  is  truth."  That  is  the  only  kind  of 
peoi)le  that  can  get  sanctified,  those  that  are  not  of 
the  world  even  as  Christ  was  not  of  the  world.  Then 
in  the  18th  verse,  "As  thou  hast  sent  me  into  the 
world,  even  so  have  I  also  sent  them  into  the  world." 
As  (Jod  sent  Jesus  Christ  into  flu-  world  to  perfoi-m 
miracles  so  he  sends  his  nnnisters  and  church  Idled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  to  perform  the  nuracles  and  to 
preach  the  gospel  in  the  world  and  to  do  all  things 
he  did  in  his  ndnistry. 

In  the  l!)th  verse,  "And  for  theii-  sakes  I  sancti- 
fy myself,  that  they  also  might  be  sanctified  through 
the  truth."  My  reader  you  know  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  same,  "Jesus  Christ  the  same  yesterday,  and 


km;  how  I  GOT  FAITH 

today  and  foiever,"  that  when  he  was  here  on  earth 
lie  opened  the  blind  eyes,  unstopped  the  deaf  ears, 
made  the  dumb  speak,  the  lame  to  walk  and  raised 
the  dead.  He  was  flesh  and  blood,  had  one  body 
and  one  head,  was  filled  with  God.  So  the  Church 
of  (Jod  that  he  was  praying  for  here  was  to  be  one 
body,  the  spiritual  body  of  Jesus  Christ,  composed 
of  every  saved  man  and  women  on  earth, 
whether  in  sectis  m  or  out  of  it,  but  he  is 
calling  his  sheep  into  the  one  fold,  that 
there  may  be  one  fold  and  one  shepherd. 
This  is  why  he  says  in  Revelation,  18tli  Chap- 
ter, ''Come  out  of  her  my  people,  saith  the  Lord 
God."  That  is  why  he  said  in  2  Cor.  6 :14,  "'Be  ye 
not  unequally  yoked  together  with  unbelievers :  for 
what  felloAvship  hath  righteousness  with  unright- 
eousness? and  what  communion  hath  light  with 
darkness?"  There  are  no  unbelievers  in  the  Church 
of  God.  Hence  if  you  are  a  child  of  God,  a  member 
of  the  one  body  and  yoked  up  in  sectism  and  secret 
orders  and  such  things  with  unbelievers,  you  are 
out  of  your  place,  and  Christ  is  calling  you  out.  I 
have  heard  people  say  that  they  were  never  called 
out.  I  just  say  God  is  only  calling  his  people,  and  if 
you  are  not  one  of  his  people  he  is  not  calling  you 
out. 

It  has  been  told  me  from  my  boyhood  that  the 
prayer  that  Jesus  prayed  and  x)ower  that  he  gave 
his  ministers  was  only  for  the  Apostolic  church, 
and  that  the  Apostolic  days  were  past  and  the 
Apostles  had  died  and  the  power  had  died  with 
them,  and  it  was  not  for  us,  and  in  this  the  plan  of 
salvation  had  changed  and  God  did  not  do  for  us 
as  he  did  for  them,  and  it  was  not  possible  for  us 
to  be  sanctified  in  this  day  and  time,  and  live  like 
they  lived. 

Let  us  note  the  20th  verse,  which  is  as  follows : 
St.  John,  17  :20,  "Xeither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but 
for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me  through 


HOW    I   (lOT  lAITll  107 

tlicii-  word.**  ^Vllal  js  tlicir  woi-d,  it  is  the  New  Tcs- 
tanu'iit  as  they  spoke  it  iiiidcr  tlu*  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  (iliost  and  penned  it  down  and  God  has  pi-e- 
sorved  it  and  lianded  it  down  to  U8  as  a  way-liill 
from  eartli  to  heaven,  which  has  been  travehMl  Ijy 
Christ,  and  liis  followers,  and  yet  can  be  followed 
by  lis  if  we  will  take  the  way-bill,  the  New  Testa- 
ment, instead  of  the  doctrines  of  men. 

I  now  have  a  niunber  of  way-bills  to  different 
places  over  New  Mexico.  They  are  marked  out  on 
pai)er  showing  that  at  such  a  place  is  a  wind-mill, 
which  means  a  great  deal  in  crossins;  the  ])lains  of 
New  Mexico  wliere  water  is  very  scarce.  Auain  it 
might  say  at  such  a  place  is  an  empty  house :  at  such 
a  place  you  go  through  a  gate.  By  coming  to  these 
places  when  on  this  route  I  know  I  am  right.  I 
have,  before  now,  when  crossing  the  plains,  met 
with  some  that  directed  me  another  way,  different 
from  my  way-bill,  I  did  not  pay  any  attention  to 
what  they  said,  I  followed  the  way-bill,  it  had 
brought  me  right  thus  far,  and  I  felt  sure  that  it 
would  be  right  the  balance  of  the  way,  for  it  had 
been  given  by  some  one  who  had  been  over  the  road. 

I  have  a  way-bill  in  my  possession  for  an  auto- 
mobile I'oute  that  runs  from  New  York  Tity  to  San 
Fi-ancisco,  Califoi-nia.  I  have  traveled  over  i)art  of 
that  route.  I  met  a  man  who  seemed  to  be  smarter 
that  the  man  who  surveyed  out  this  road,  and  he 
told  me  another  way.  But  before  I  got  through 
talking  with  him  he  told  me  of  the  many  miles  of 
heavy  sand  tliat  he  pulled  ihrough,  where,  if  he  had 
taken  the  way  this  way-bill  gives  he  would  have 
missed  the  sand,  so  T  kept  the  way-bill  given  me  ])y 
the  man  who  had  been  over  the  road. 

The  word  of  God  is  the  way-bill  from  eai'th  to 
heaven.  Now,  my  brother,  sister,  if  you  have  start- 
ed and  you  find  some  one  leaning  up  against  their 
opinions  on  the  way  and  tell  you  that  it  is  true  that 
God's  wtud  says  so  and  so,  l»ut  explains  that  now 


lO.S  now    1   GOT  FAITH 

tli(M-('  is  a  (liffci'dif  route,  and  you  take  their  route, 
instead  of  (Jod's  word,  you  Avill  j^ct  side  tracked, 
and  it  will  bo  with  you  as  it  was  with  me  and  my 
company  one  time  when  ti-avelinji'  over  the  plains 
of  Xew  Mexico. 

We  lliouiLilit  tliat  we  had  found  a  nearer  route, 
and  we  started  on  that  route,  as  it  Avent  more  in  the 
direction,  by  our  compass,  that  we  wanted  to  travel, 
than  the  other  road,  which  we  had  traveled  before 
and  kiu'w  was  the  right  road.  By  the  compass  we 
soon  discovered  that  we  Avere  bearing  too  far  to  the 
left.  We  kept  going  on  hoping  to  see  where  the 
road'Avould  turn  to  our  right.  Miles  and  miles  we 
Avent,  our  teams,  as  Avell  as  ourselves,  began  to  suf- 
fer for  Avater.  We  got  out  our  field-glass  and  began 
to  look  for  a  Avind-mill,  we  looked  and  in  the  dis- 
tance Ave  could  see  one.  We  turned  and  Avent  in  the 
direction  of  the  Avind-mill.  After  traA'eling  until 
the  middle  of  the  day  and  reaching  it  Ave  found  it  to 
be  out  of  commission,  no  good.  This  is  to  my  mind 
like  it  is  a\  ith  a  great  many  people  AA^ho  are  traA^eling 
after  the  doctrine  of  men,  they  will  hear  of  some 
experience  just  ahead  and  will  go  to  hear  and  find 
that  when  they  reach  it,  it  is  no  satisfaction  to  the 
soul,  and  still  they  go  from  place  to  place,  the  soul 
Avants  satisfaction,  it  is  hungering  and  thirsting  for 
God,  not  man  made  doctrine.  They  are  like  the 
AA'ind-mill  which  Ave  found  to  be  out  of  commission, 
before  they  get  to  it,  or  hear  it  explained,  it  seems 
that  it  Avill  satisfy  thirst,  but  it  does  not  satisfy  the 
soul  thirsting  for  God. 

We  took  out  our  field  glasses  and  looked  again. 
We  spied  another  aa  ind-mill  Avhich  was  in  the  direc- 
tion that  we  Avanted  to  travel  to  get  back  to  our 
road.  The  road  did  not  run  to  this  wind-mill,  but 
regardless  of  the  road  we  traveled  across  the  plains, 
and  reached  the  wind-mill,  and  the  water  was  very 
gJTPy?  so  full  of  alkali  that  we  could  scarcely  drink 
it,  but  we  were  suffering  for  water,  as  well  as  our 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  109 

teams.  We  drank  it,  but  it  did  not  satisfy  tliii'st,  as 
pure  water  would.  It  was  just  sonu'thiii<i  like  a 
spirit  filled  man  attendin"'  a  sect  meetin«>  and  drank 
a  little  truth,  but  it  had  such  a  bad  tasie  with  it 
that  it  tailed  to  salisfy.  ^Ve  diank  the  water  with 
great  fear  that  it  would  kill  our  horses,  and  possibly 
us.  Just  so  it  is  with  a  true  child  of  Ood  in  a  sect- 
arian meetinii,  they  may  <>et  a  little  truth,  and  their 
soul  be  I'efreshed  a  little  ]>ut  the  fear  on  them  that 
they  will  liet  killed  spiritually  before  they  get  out 
of  it,  destroys  the  pleasure. 

We  took  another  view  Avith  the  field  glasses  and 
found  another  wind-mill  a  long  way  off  in  the  direc- 
tion that  Ave  thought  the  road  was  that  we  had  left, 
judging  by  our  compass.  I  got  on  a  horse  and  rode 
to  that  wind-mill.  M'hen  I  got  there  it  Avas  on  the 
road  that  Ave  had  ti-aveled  before,  a  ]mre  stream  of 
Avater  running  out  the  size  of  my  Avrisl.  The  Avind 
was  making  the  mill  to  Avhirl  at  a  great  speed.  My 
horse  kncAv  the  place  as  Avell  as  I  did,  he  pulled 
{(gainst  the  bits  to  get  to  the  Avater,  and  drank  as 
fast  as  he  could,  Avhile  I  Avas  getting  off.  1  got  my 
mouth  under  the  stream  of  Avater  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible. The  Avater  fioAved  out  of  the  pipe  into  the 
tank,  and  myself,  as  Avell  as  my  horse,  drank  and 
drank  until  Ave  Avere  satisfied.  This  Avater  Avas  good, 
this  AA'as  pure  Avater;  this  reminded  me  of  one  Avho 
had  strayed  aAvay  from  God's  truth  and  had  become 
alaiiued  about  his  condition  and  had  been  search- 
ing through  (lod's  Avord  for  the  liglit  Avay,  as  we 
had  been  searching  with  the  tield  glasses  and  the 
use  of  the  compass  to  find  the  old  road,  and  when 
they  got  back,  how  reficshing  the  walci-  of  saha- 
tion,  and  the  fioAving  Avith  (Jod's  jM'ojde. 

XoAV  1  did  not  just  Avait  there  and  enjoy  the 
Avater  and  be  satisfied  because  T  i-eceived  Avhat  T 
Avanted,  but  it  seemed  that  I  could  iioi  gel  back 
(juickly  enough  to  my  company  to  tell  them  I  he 
ueAVS.     When  1  anived,  we  went  to  the  mill  and  put 


110  now   I  (JOT  1  AlTll 

ii|)  our  tents  and  caniix'd,  and  all  had  tlic  jiiivilc^c 
of  enjoying  the  water,  and  our  horses  also  could  be 
furnished  with  water. 

Brotln  r,  sister,  if  you  have  been  wanderini^ 
around  and  have  come  back  to  God's  fold,  set  your 
tent,  camp  there,  and  stay. 

Xow,  possibly  we  have  gotten  a  little  off  the 
subject,  but  my  soul  is  stirred  for  those  who  are 
retrograding-  from  the  truth  and  leaving  and  going 
into  formality  and  worldliness,  that  I  can  hardly 
refrain  from  saying  something  in  each  chapter  to 
try  to  persuade  them  to  come  back  to  God. 

For  instance,  I  know  ministers  who  have  both 
hoa)'d  and  taught  the  truth  for  years — even  taught 
me  when  I  first  met  the  people  of  this  reformation ; 
and  who  once  preached  against  worldly  conformity, 
dressed  neatly  and  plainly,  stood  on  God's  prom- 
ises, and  trusted  him  for  everything;  but  are  now 
turning  back  to  worldly  conformity,  and  claiming 
they  have  been,  hitherto,  under  a  fanatical  strain. 
In  other  words,  they  now  step  forth  wearing  neck- 
ties, and  preaching  ''liberty  of  conscience,"  claim- 
ing, that  in  the  past,  fanatical  strain  had  swerved 
them  from  the  truth,  and  that  they  had  taught 
wrong — and,  all  this  now,  before  those  to  whom 
they  once  preached,  and  influenced  to  strip  off  all 
superfluity. 

It  grieves  my  soul,  brother,  I  warn  you  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  you  are  headed  for  the  dump  ground. 
Next  thing  Mill  be  Life  Insurance  Policies,  next 
will  be  Baseball,  then  remedies  because  you  cannot 
get  God  to  answer  prayer,  then  how  can  we  be  told 
from  Sect  Holiness.  God  pity  the  man  or  woman 
that  will  lose  sight  of  the  old  paths,  fail  to  take 
Jesus  Christ  as  the  example,  and  failing  to  be  like 
him,  knowing  they  have  to  be  when  he  comes.  The 
devil  may  tell  you,  you  cannot  follow  his  example, 
that  he  Avas  God,  and  it  is  impossible  for  human 
beings  to  follow  his  example  of  living  in  this  life 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  111 

without  coinmittiiig  sin.  It  is  true,  lie  Avas  God 
as  well  as  man.  The  success  of  the  Apostolic 
church  lay  in  this,  that  they  followed  the  example 
that  Jesus  set,  but  they  had  to  be  tilled  with  (Jod  to 
do  it.  But  he  said  to  them  in  John  17  :20,  ••Xeithcr 
pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also  wliicli  shall 
believe  on  me  through  their  Avord.*"  Also  see  verse 
21,  "That  they  all  may  be  one ;  as  thou.  Father,  art 
in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  iu. 
us:  that  the  Avorld  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent 
me.*'  Also  the  22nd  verse,  "And  the  glory  which 
thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them ;  that  they  may  be 
one,  even  as  we  are  one."  I  want  to  say  right  here 
that  after  all  the  teaching  which  we  have  had  on 
God's  word  in  all  its  purity,  and  after  seeing  so 
many  gathered  out  of  sectism  into  one  body,  and  the 
plain  Uible  teaching  we  have  had  against  worldly 
confoi-mity  and  remedies,  and  the  many  ^-ases  of 
healing  we  have  witnessed,  should  there  be  l)rought 
into  a  congregation  a  pei-son  lame,  or  one  deaf  or 
dumb  or  having  any  affliction  to  be  prayed  for  their 
healing,  then  let  some  bi-other  who  has  lived  true 
to  (}()d  still  holding  the  truth  in  all  its  purity,  and 
without  compromise  as  he  has  done  for  the  last 
twenty  or  thirty  years,  and  another  minister  come 
to  agree  in  prayer  with  him  who  has  known  the 
truth  an<l  has  had  the  light  on  worldly  confoniiily, 
and  he  have  a  necktie  on,  a  stick  pin,  gold  collar 
button,  and  gold  cuff  buttons,  or  any  other  super- 
fluity that  has  been  taught  against,  the  one  who  has 
kept  to  the  old  patlis,  ])een  true  to  (Jod  and  fallen 
humanity,  preached  the  whole  truth  and  kei)t  free 
from  compromise,  cannot  be  agreed  with  the  one 
who  has  gone  into  com])r()mise,  and  is  failing  to 
live  up  to  the  whole  word  of  (Jod.  So  do  not  pren<-h 
liberty  of  conscience  to  me.  Conscience  is  all  right 
when  guided  by  the  word  of  God  and  by  observation 
and  experience.  T  know  that  conscience  can  be 
turned  in  the  wrong  direction  when  followed  alone, 


112  now   1  GOT  FAITH 

"witliout  liuidiiiii  it  l).v  the  woid  of  (Jod,  and  wlicii  we 
tuni  our  iiiiiid.s  in  other  diicction.s  and  not  l■ollo^y 
the  word  of  God,  God  will  turn  us  over  that  we  may 
believe  a  lie  and  be  damned. 

1  pray  God  to  put  the  fear  of  God  on  you  as  you 
read  this.  And  may  God  help  you  to  resolve  by 
the  assisting  grace  of  God  as  those  Jesus  prayed  for 
in  the  17th  Chapter  of  St.  John,  that  you  will  not 
be  of  the  Avorld  even  as  he  is  not  of  the  world.  O, 
but  you  say  things  are  so  different  now.  We  have 
to  change  as  the  times  change.  We  do  not  have  to 
change  in  salvation,  the  Bible  is  just  the  same  now 
as  it  was  in  the  beginning,  the  plan  of  salvation  is 
the  same  noAv  as  it  Avas  when  Jesus  planned  this 
great  church,  and  prayed  for  us  as  we  have  just  re- 
ferred to. 

What  we  need  is  to  follow  his  example  where  he 
lay  on  his  face  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane  and 
agonized  with  God  the  Father  until  he  lost  sight  of 
everything,  and  had  his  mind  concentrated  on  his 
commission,  and  the  purpose  for  which  he  came  to 
this  world,  and  that  now  if  he  failed  or  faltered 
that  the  whole  ministry  which  he  had  just  finished 
and  was  now  completing,  his  life  and  commission 
would  be  a  failure  and  the  plan  of  salvation  would 
go  to  naught.  As  this  bore  on  his  mind  finally  he 
cried  out,  ''Father  not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done." 
My  friend,  when  you  follow  this  example,  tarry  be- 
fore God  until  your  whole  mind,  soul  and  trust  are 
centered  in  him,  and  the  commission  which  he  has 
given  you,  until  you  can  from  this  time  on  lose  all 
desire  for  the  things  of  tlie  world  which  I  have  spok- 
en of  in  this  chapter. 

From  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  he  goes  to  the 
Judgment  Hall  and  there  sets  another  example, 
from  there  he  goes  to  the  cross  and  says  it  is  fin- 
ished. Thank  God,  there  has  not  been  false  preach- 
ers and  hypocrites  on  earth  or  devils  enough  in  hell 
since  that  time  to  change  the  plan  of  salvation 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  113 

Avhich  Josus  coiiiplclcd  jiiKHJod  wiliicsscd  toby  cov- 
eiiiig  tlii.s  old  world  in  darkness  and  r('n(lin<;  the 
rocks  out  of  the  earth  and  pnllinu  tlu*  iiiavcs  open 
and  turning  the  dead  saints  out. 

It  is  finislied.  A\'e  see  liini  three  days  later  com- 
ing from  the  tomb,  Avliih'  liis  disciph-s  were  dis- 
couraged and  seemingly  hid  away.  Mary  Magda- 
lene, for  whom  he  had  done  nnich,  Avas  watching  for 
him.  He  gave  hei-  tlie  tiist  message  to  l)eai-  for  him. 
One  says  why  did  he  use  a  woman  to  cany  the  tirst 
message,  she  was  the  one  out  of  whom  he  had  cast 
seven  devils;  it  was  because  she  was  the  nearest  to 
him.  Brother,  sister,  if  you  want  Jesus  to  send  you 
with  a  message,  kee[)  close  to  him.  Keep  clean,  be 
not  of  the  world  as  he  is  not  of  the  world. 

If  you  are  over  here  somewhere  discussing  the 
(juestion  of  neckties  and  getting  a  nice  one  ready  to 
go  to  the  camp-meeting,  and  some  humble  child  of 
(Jod  is  laying  on  his  face  out  in  some  secluded  place, 
praying,  getting  ready  to  go  to  the  camp-meeting, 
when  you  reach  theic  you  will  not  be  called  on  by 
those  who  are  sick  and  siitfering  for  the  i>rayer  of 
faith  but  the  humble  man,  or  one  who  has  laid  on 
his  face  before  (Jod,  and  one  who  is  not  of  tlie  world 
even  as  Jesus  Avas  not  of  the  woild.  will  ]»e  the 
preacher  in  demand. 

It  may  be,  like  Mary  Magdalene,  that  when  the 
message  is  delivered  it  will  not  be  believed  as  it  was 
Avhen  she  told  the  a]K)stles  that  he  had  aiiseii.  \lo. 
may  send  the  second  message,  and  they  will  not 
take  that,  but  my  friend  it  will  be  when  -lesns  comes 
wlien  this  old  world  is  reeling  and  roeking  as  a 
drnnlc  man  and  going  np  in  llanies  and  the  saints 
are  boumling  np  in  the  air  to  meet  him,  that  you 
will  see  those  who  have  walked  in  the  light  of  the 
gospel,  that  have  kej)!  their  hearts  oyrw  and  tilled 
with  (Jod,  those  for  whom  the  woi-ld  lias  no  aiiiac- 
tion,  aiul  ai'e  not  c(mfoi'med  to  the  world,  going 
gladl  V  to  meet  him  in  I  he  air. 


114  now    I   (;()T   FAITH 

When  Jesus  apjK'aicd  to  his  disciples  and  up- 
braided them  for  their  uubelief,  Tlionias  had  made 
the  statement  that  he  would  not  believe  unless  he 
should  see  the  nail  holes  in  his  hands  and  thrust  his 
hand  in  his  side.  Then  after  eiiiht  days  a<j,ain  his 
disciples  were  tojictlier  in  a  house  and  Thomas  Avas 
with  them,  then  Jesus  came,  the  doors  being-  closed, 
and  stood  in  the  midst  and  said  'Teace  be  unto 
you,"  then  he  said  to  Thomas,  ''Reach  hither  thy 
finger,  and  thrust  it  in  my  hands;  and  reach  hither 
tliy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  my  side :  and  be  not 
faithless,  but  believing."  Thomas  answered  him, 
"My  Lord  and  my  God." 

My  brother,  it  may  be  possible  that  you  will  not 
believe  when  you  read  this  message,  and  that  you 
will  condemn  it,  but  I  want  to  say  to  you  that  when 
Jesus  Christ  shall  stand  before  you  at  the  great 
Judgment  Bar  of  God  and  you  behold  the  nail 
prints  in  his  hands  and  the  hole  in  his  side,  that  he 
suffered  that  you  might  enter  into  the  Pearly  Gates, 
and  spend  eternity  with  him,  it  will  be  then  that 
like  Thomas,  you  will  cry,  ''My  Lord  and  my  God," 
but  it  will  be  too  late,  you  had  better  take  warning 
now. 

Jesus  told  his  disciples  to  '*Go  ye  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature," 
Mark.  1G:15.  It  is  put  on  record,  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature,  not  to  just  a  few,  not  anything 
else  but  the  gospel,  it  was  the  gospel  that  he  wanted 
preached.  How  nuich  of  it  did  he  say?  Matt.  4:4, 
"Every  Avord  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of 
God."*^  Matthew  28:19-20,  "Go  ye  therefore,  and 
teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost: 
Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  AAdiatsoeAxr  I 
have  commanded  you :  and  lo,  I  am  Avith  you  ahvay, 
BA'en  unto  the  end  of  the  world.    Amen." 

Now,  my  brother,  sister,  if  you  teach  all  things 
that  Jesus  has  commanded  von.  aou  Avill  teach  all 


now   I   GOT  FAITH  115 

the  >«\'W  Tcstainciit.  If  you  liiil  1o  do  that  because 
of  youi-  suiM-ouudiiiiis  and  of  lliosc  who  liavc  means 
aiul  aie  supporting  you,  yet  do  not  believe  it  all,  you 
are  going  to  meet  with  some  accident  or  misfortune 
where  yon  will  want  God  and  cannot  find  him. 

1  might  give  you  one  little  incident  in  my  life 
that  would  make  it  ])lain(M-  to  you.  After  I  had 
fasted  and  prayed  for  seven  days  and  nights  to 
know  wheie  (Jod  would  have  me  to  go,  and  he 
showed  me  and  I  started,  but  without  money  and 
withotU  friends  after  1  had  met  with  many  acci- 
dents and  misfortunes,  reached  a  town  three  hun- 
dred twenty-five  miles  from  home.  I  was  turned 
down  by  the  holiness  ])eople  because  of  preaching 
the  whole  word  of  (Jod  and  they  did  not  believe  in 
the  one  church.  After  being  cast  out  and  shut  out, 
I  took  my  valises  and  started,  got  about  one  (piarter 
of  a  mile  from  town,  and  it  seemed  that  all  the  pow- 
ers of  hell  came  against  me,  and  the  devil  ma«le  me 
to  think  that  possibly  I  was  mistaken.  I  fell  on  my 
knees  on  the  pike  and  called  on  the  (}o<l  in  whom  I 
had  my  trust  to  know  if  it  was  possible  that  the 
devil  had  deceived  me  and  sent  me  on  this  trip.  It 
seemed  that  the  heavens  opened  and  (.Jod  spoke 
to  my  soul,  and  told  me  I  was  on  the  light  road, 
that  victory  was  on  ahead.  I  walked  until  dark, 
asking  permission  at  each  house  to  stay  all  night, 
but  was  refused,  tinally  coming  to  the  house  in  the 
little  village  that  I  had  heard  of  all  evening,  where 
some  peojtle  lived  that  kept  everybody:  I  called  to 
them  ;  he  came  out  ;  I  told  him  that  I  wanted  to  stay 
all  night.  He  said  he  did  not  see  how  he  could  keep 
me,  for  their  child  was  very  sick,  l)ut  there  was  no 
use  to  tell  me  to  go  further,  for  no  one  would  keep 
me.  Tie  said  he  would  go  and  see  his  wife:  he  did. 
T  went  down  on  my  knees  to  talk  to  my  Ijord.  Draw 
the  picture  now  in  your  miiul  of  a  man  called  and 
sent  of  God,  and  determined  to  die  at  the  stake,  if 
necessary,  down  on  his  knees  jusi  on!  side  of  t  he  yaid 


IIG  now   I   GOT  FAITH 

fence,  and  a  big  Newfoundland  dog  looking  at  me 
tliiongli  the  fenee,  and  the  man  back  in  the  house 
pleading  with  liis  wife  to  h't  nie  stay  all  niglit.  I 
drew  upon  the  promises  of  Jesus  in  Matt.  2(S:19-20, 
''Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  bai^tizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ohosl.  Teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  1  have  commanded  you  :  and  lo,  1 
am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 
Amen,"  and  told  him  that  I  was  not  there  because 
I  Avould  not  preacli,  but  because  He  had  called  and 
sent  me  to  preach  the  gospel,  that  I  was  tired  and 
hungry  and,  as  the  roads  Avere  very  muddy, 
for  him  to  put  it  into  that  woman's  heart  to  let 
me  stay  all  night.  The  man  came  out  and  told  me 
to  come  in.  He  asked  me  if  I  had  had  my  supper : 
I  said  no,  and  told  him  not  to  get  me  any  supper, 
just  give  me  room  on  his  carpet  to  sleep.  He  said  I 
must  have  some  supper,  told  his  wife,  who  was  walk- 
ing the  lioor  with  the  sick  child  to  give  him  the 
child  and  for  her  to  tix  some  supper.  As  she  handed 
him  the  sick  child  the  commission  of  the  seventy 
came  to  me,  and  God's  spirit  seemingly  pushed  me 
right  to  that  child,  and  without  any  explanation,  I 
laid  my  hands  on  the  child  and  began  to  pray  and 
called  on  God  to  verify  his  promises  to  heal  the  sick, 
and  instantly  the  child  Avas  healed  and  was  up  and 
Avell,  and  it  had  been  a  very  sick  child.  The  father 
and  mother  fell  on  their  knees  and  cried  out  to  God 
to  save  them — neither  one  was  saved.  Soon  God 
forgave  their  sins  and  they  Avere  up  shouting,  and 
the  neighbors  came  running  in  to  see  Avhat  we  had 
done,  to  see  if  I  AA^as  murdering  them,  and  Ave  had 
a  real  good  meeting  before  I  had  my  supper. 

Brother,  sister,  if  I  had  been  conforming  to  the 
world,  and  failing  to  walk  in  the  light  that  God 
had  given  me,  I  could  not  have  called  his  attention 
to  that  promise,  and  told  him  that  I  Avas  teaching 
all  the  Avord  of  God,  and  that  I  would  stand  on  his 


now    I   GOT   KAITII 


117 


word,  live  or  die.  Hccmusc  of  tliis  hick  of  tiniiiicss 
and  tniciM'ss  is  why  the  power  of  (lod  is  not  mani- 
fested today  as  it  was  in  tlie  Ai)osl()lic  days.  I  pray 
God  to  put  shame  on  his  ministry  and  j>ray  (Jod 
that  they  may  lay  on  tlieir  face  until  the  Lion  of 
Judah  will  roar  in  i  heir  souls,  until  the  uosjx'l  truth 
will  pour  out  of  tlieir  months,  tmtil  iiM'n  and  wom- 
en on  earth  will  be  stirred  ami  the  de\il  in  hell  he 
bothered  on  his  throne  because  of  the  maidfestation 
of  (lod's  ])ower  conlirnnnu  the  word  Ity  the  siiiiis 
followiiiii.  Let  us  preach  the  plain  IJible  way,  live 
by  every  Avord  of  (Jod  and  let  us  have  the  power 
of  Ood  that  the  apostles  had,  it  is  for  tis. 

Oo  back  with  nie  aiiain  to  the  l(5th  chajdei-  of 
Mark,  "(Jo  ye  into  all  the  world  ami  preach  t!ie  iios- 
pel  to  every  creature,  he  that  believeih  ami  is  bap- 
tized sluill  be  saved;  but  he  that  believeth  iu)t  shall 
be  damned."  And  in  the  17th  verse,  "And  these 
siiius  shall  follow  them  that  lu'lieve;  In  my  name 
shall  they  cast  out  devils:  they  shall  speak  with 
new  tonuiu's."  It  did  not  say  with  other  touiiiies, 
but  A\ith  new  ones.  Thaid-:  (Jod  I  have  been  speak- 
inii  with  a  new  tonune  for  seveicl  years.  This  toniiue 
that  used  to  curse,  Ijlack-utiard  and  tell  li<'s  ami  ch*- 
ceive  and  defiand  has  Iteen  speakiuii  new  thin«>s, 
praises  unto  our  (Jod.  This  is  the  new  tongue  tliat 
every  child  of  (Jod  is  eiditled  to  and  r(M-eives.  There 
are  other  ton.mies  si)oken  of  in  the  IJible,  ami  they 
are  for  them  thai  Itelieve.  Also,  "They  shall  take  np 
ser|)enls:  and  if  they  drink  any  deadly  thiim.  ii 
shall  not  hurl  them:  they  shall  lay  hands  on  the 
the  sick,  and  they  shall  recover."  This  is  for  them 
that  beliexc.  It  does  not  say  il  is  for  llie  ])reachers. 
they  already  believe.  It  is  for  I  hem  I  hat  believe.  It 
does  not  say  that  we  must  lake  np  serpents,  thai  we 
uuist  driidc  any  deadly  tliinu,  bnl  it  said  thai  if  we 
do  it,  in  oilier  woids  .il'  il  is  slipped  on  ns,  like  it 
A\as  on  me,  he  Avili  heal  ns  and  ii  \\<»nld  nol  linri  ns. 
1  sulfered  snflicieiil  1\    to  show    lo  those  ai'onnd   me 


118  ilOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

that  it  liiul  taken  effect,  but  God  healed  me  and 
showed  tliat  the  word  of  God  was  true,  I  did  not 
drink  i)oison  to  prove  to  the  j)eople  that  the  Avord  of 
(iod  was  tiiie,  and  that  I  was  his  child.  I  would  not 
take  up  a  serpent  to  prove  this,  but  i^"  by  way  of  ac- 
cident I  would  take  up  a  serpent  1  would  trust  God 
just  as  God's  word  says,  and  he  will  let  the  heavens 
fall  before  he  will  fail  to  answer.  Oh,  but  you  say, 
you  might  die.  I  will  be  trusting  God,  and  I  will 
go  to  heaven  where  serpents  do  not  bite  and  there  is 
no  death. 

He  was  Avith  them  forty  days  and  nights,  talked 
and  Avalked  Avith  them,  opened  up  their  understand- 
ing that  they  might  understand  the  gospel,  told 
them  to  tarry  at  Jerusalem  until  they  Avere  endued 
Avith  poAver  from  on  high,  after  he  ascended  to  heaA'- 
en.  They  Avent  to  Jerusalem  and  tarried  nine  days 
and  nights  and  three  hours,  they  Avere  all  of  one  ac- 
cord. They  did  not  become  restless  and  dissatis- 
fied. They  did  not  begin  to  complain  and  say  it  is 
all  Peter's  fault,  and  because  he  denied  Christ  is 
the  reason  we  do  not  get  it,  or  it  is  Mary  Magda- 
lene's fault,  who  was  possessed  with  dcAils,  is  the 
reason  that  we  do  not  get  it.  But  they  lost  sight  of 
their  surroundings,  they  were  looking  for  That  com- 
forter Avhich  he  promised  and  prayed  for.  If  they 
had  failed  to  keep  Jesus'  commands  or  had  looked 
to  their  surroundings  they  would  not  have  received 
the  comforter,  but  they  tarried  until  they  kneAV  that 
all  was  out  of  the  way,  and  there  was  nothing  be- 
tween them  and  God,  and  they  laid  hold  of  the 
promises  as  the  voice  of  one  man,  "And  suddenly 
there  came  a  sound  from  heaAen  as  of  a  rushing 
mighty  Avind,  and  it  filled  all  tlie  house  where  they 
Avere  sitting.  And  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven 
tongues  like  as  of  fire,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of  them. 
And  they  were  all  filled  Avith  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
began  to  speak  Avith  other  tongues,  as  the  Spirit 
aave  them  utterance.     And  there  Avere  dAvelling  at 


HOW    I   COT   FAITH  111) 

Jerusaleiii  Jews,  dcvonl  iiicii,  oul  of  cvciy  iiarioii 
under  lioavcii."*    Acts  2  :2-5. 

Xow  lii-.st  Ave  want  to  notice  that  they  were  all 
filled  with  the  Holy  (Jliost.  In  order  to  be  tilled 
they  liad  to  he  eni])tie<l.  Everything  else  was  emp- 
tied out,  every  doubt,  tear,  unbelief  and  unholy  de- 
sire, they  were  all  one  and  now  they  were  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  which  was  the  (lod  powei-  that 
filled  Christ.  >s'ow  they  s])oke  with  other  tongues. 
Why  was  this?  Because  there  was  every  national- 
ity under  heaven  there  ami  they  heard  the  jiospel  in 
their  own  tonuue,  it  was  in  their  own  lan<iuaiie,  it 
was  not  jabbeiinu  and  some  kind  of  a  conversation 
that  they  did  not  know  what  they  were  sa\inii,  and 
no  one  else  knew,  bnt  it  was  a  language.  It  was  so 
plain  to  those  of  diffeient  lan.<iua<>es  that  they  tin- 
derstood  it  and  received  the  .uosj)el.  It  brouiiht  con- 
viction to  their  heaits  and  they  cried  out,  "Men  and 
brethern  what  shall  we  do?"  It  was  then  that  I'eter 
told  them  to  repent  and  be  baptized  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins,  and  ye  shall  i-eceivc  the  Holy  (Jhost.  It 
is  not  only  for  you  and  your  children,  but  it  is  for 
them  who  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our 
God  shal'  call.  It  was  at  this  time  that  there  were 
three  thousand  souls  saved  and  baptized.  Also  see 
St.  John  17:20,  "Xeither  ])ray  1  for  these  alone,  but 
for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me  throu<ih 
their  word.''  What  was  this  for?  Tlrat  they  niijiht 
be  one,  as  the  Father,  Son  and  Ploly  (Hhost  Avei-e  one. 
I)(;  you  believe  that  there  was  any  differences  in 
them?  Do  you  believe  that  one  of  them  would  feel 
condennied  over  somethiiiii  that  the  other  would 
not,  yet  hold  the  confidence  of  all. 

Urolhc'-.  sislcr,  this  is  iiKMHisistcnl  with  the 
teachiuii' of  (lod's  word.  (Jod  docs  nol  condemn  one 
for  doin<;'  somethinii  and  for  ])uttini>  on  superlluities 
ami  allow  others  of  liis  children  to  do  the  same 
thinii,  but  they  were  all  with  one  a< cord. 


ILM)  now   I   GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE  LIFE  AND  MIXI.STRi'  OF  THE  APOSTLES  AND  THEIR 
EXPEUIEXCES^  AXD  THE  POWER  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


We  see  tkat  after  the  three  thousand  were  con- 
verted on  the  day  of  Pentecost  the  one  hundred 
twenty  were  sanctified.  For  instance  we  look  at 
Acts  2  :41,  "Then  they  that  gladly  received  his  word 
were  baptized :  and  the  same  day  there  were  added 
unto  them  about  three  thousand  souls.''  And  the 
42nd  verso,  "And  they  continued  steadfast  in  the 
fipostlos'  doctrine  and  fellowship  and  in  breaking  of 
bread,  and  in  prayers.'' 

Xow  we  see  the  Apostles'  doctrine  was  the  Xew 
Testament,  and  they  did  not  follow  the  doctrine  of 
nieiL  Further  we  find  in  the  44:th  verse,  "And  all 
that  believed  were  together,  and  had  all  things  com- 
mon." They  were  gathered  together  and  they  had 
all  things  common ;  there  was  not  a  little  bunch  over 
here  in  one  corner  with  ties  on  clammering  for  the 
world,  and  another  little  bunch  over  there  without 
ties  on  and  feeling  cast  down,  afraid  they  would  be 
renounced  if  they  made  objection  against  worldli- 
ness  that  was  creeping  in  to  sap  their  soids  and 
break  confidence  in  felloAvship,  but  tliat  all  believed 
and  they  were  all  gathered  together  and  had  all 
things  common.  And  the  45th  verse,  "And  sold 
their  possessions  and  goods,  and  parted  them  to  all 
men,  as  every  man  had  need."  They  were  not  grasp- 
ing for  the  things  of  this  world  laying  up  treasures 
on  earth  and  would  not  help  a  brother  unless  he 
could  give  him  a  mortgage  and  make  him  safe,  but 
that  they  gave  to  him  that  needed.  In  other  Avords 
they  realized  that  Avhat  they  had  belonged  to  God 
and  they  were  stewards  over  it,  and  they  divided  as 
the  Lord  directed  and  led  by  the  spiiit  of  God.  God's 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  121 

child  will  do  that  toda3^  Read  the  46th  verse,  "And 
they,  continuing-  daily  Tvith  one  accord  in  the  tem- 
ple, and  breakinu  bread  from  house  to  house,  did 
eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of 
heart."  The  4Tth  verse,  ''Praising  God,  and  having 
favor  with  all  the  people.  And  the  Lord  added  to 
the  church  daily  such  as  should  be  saved."  Why 
did  they  have  favor  with  the  people?  Because  of 
the  purity  of  the  gospel  which  they  preached.  This 
raised  up  a  people  where  they  went  and  that  gave 
them  favor.  This  is  the  spiritual  body  of  Jesus 
Christ,  that  chui-ch  spoken  of  in  St.  John  17 :1<S, 
where  he  said,  '*As  thou  hast  sent  me  into  the  world, 
even  so  have  I  also  sent  them  into  the  world."  It 
seems  that  the  ministers  of  this  Apostolic  church 
attracted  attention  of  the  Avorld  as  Avell  as  the  saved 
people.  And  John  the  Baptist,  when  he  first  ap- 
peared preaching  the  gospel,  telling  the  people  that 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  at  hand,  though  some 
opposed  liim,  but  seemingly  at  the  beginning  it 
was  like  Jesus*  ministry,  tliey  Avere  rather  spell- 
bound and  astonished  and  kept  quiet. 

I  have  seen  this  in  my  ministry.  One  time  when 
my  son  Charley  Avas  a  little  boy  twelve  years  old, 
whom  God  liad  called  to  ])reacli,  we  went  to  a  city,  led 
by  the  spirit  of  God.  Had  only  two  cents  in  money, 
did  not  knoAv  that  there  was  any  one  there  that 
knew  us,  but  by  faith  Ave  rented  the  theater  build- 
ing, and  Avent  to  i)reaching.  God  gave  us  favor 
AA'ith  the  editor  avIio  Avas  a  Catholic.  They  printed 
a  daily  paper  and  ])ut  in  the  reports  of  the  meetings 
and  gave  us  tAvo,  tliree  and  sometimes  more  cobnnns 
giving  incidents  of  the  manifestation  of  (Jod's  heal- 
ing poAver,  and  hoAV  all  manner  of  sickness  Avas 
healed.  The  back  ])art  of  the  theater  building  Avas 
hung  full  of  crutches  and  canes  of  all  kinds  where 
the  lame  and  <  lipphMl  had  been  heah'd  in  answer  to 
prayer  and  left  their  canes  and  crutches.  The  wliole 
city  was  stirred,  sect  ])re!U'hers,  do'tois  :nid  law- 


122  now  I   GOT   I  AlTli 

yei's  and  city  authorities  caiiK!  and  sat  there  with 
eyes  of  ainaziMiieiil  spell-bound,  listening  to  the 
words  that  God  had  spoken.  They  saw  that  we  were 
from  the  back  woods,  illiterate,  and  unlearned,  they 
did  not  know  wliat  to  say.  >n'o  more  than  they 
knew  what  to  say  when  Jesus  preached,  no  more 
than  they  did  when  this  Ajjostolic  church  first  devel- 
oped and  God  began  to.  manifest  his  poAver  through 
the  apostles.  But  as  it  was  in  those  days,  it  was 
in  our  nunistry,  the  time  came  that  they  began  to 
see  that  the  x)ower  of  God  w^as  manifested  in  heal- 
ing the  sick,  but  the  meeting  w^as  killing  the  sects. 
The  false  friends  told  that  Ave  Avere  imposing  upon 
the  people,  and  in  fact  w^as  giving  out  false  reports, 
and  they  saw  if  the  meeting  and  interest  continued 
it  Avould  break  up  sectism  and  make  the  people  be- 
lieA^e  in  one  Christ  and  one  church,  and  many  salar- 
ied preachers  Avould  be  throAvn  out  of  commission  if 
it  continued  as  it  was  going.  They  also  saw  by  us 
preaching  divine  healing  that  even  the  doctors 
would  be  out  of  employment  and  the  money  that 
they  had  spent  to  learn  Iioav  to  practice  deception 
upon  the  people  Avould  be  as  if  burned,  and  they 
would  be  turned  out  to  get  another  job.  Like  it  was 
in  the  days  of  Christ  and  the  Apostolic  church,  the 
lioAAi  began  to  raise  against  us,  false  reports  began 
to  b(^  published,  spread  by  the  sect  preachers,  law- 
yers and  doctors,  from  factories  and  even  lodges, 
and  were  raised  to  the  point  to  where  they  cA^en 
turned  the  ones  who  were  healed  under  our  minis- 
try against  us,  and  even  refused  us  a  drink  of  Avater, 
and  would  close  their  doors  against  us  when  they 
would  see  us  coming.  They  had  been  told  that  we 
Avere  as  poison  to  them,  Avere  deceivers,  had  hypnot- 
ic poAver,  that  Ave  Avould  make  them  unconscious 
and  when  under  our  control  they  had  to  do  Avhat 
we  said  for  them  to  do. 

So  it  Avas  AA'hen  Peter  and  John  Avent  up  to  the 
temple  to  pray.     We  see  Acts  3,  and  beginning  at 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  123 

the  first  verse,  ''Now  Peter  and  John  went  up  to- 
gether into  the  temple  at  the  hour  of  prayer,  being 
the  ninth  hour.  And  a  certain  man  lame  from  his 
mother's  womb  was  carried,  whom  they  laid  chilly 
at  the  gate  of  the  temple  which  is  called  Beautiful, 
to  ask  alms  of  them  that  entered  into  the  temple; 
who  seeing  Peter  and  John  about  to  go  into  the 
temple  asked  an  alms.  And  Peter,  fastening  his 
eyes  upon  him  Avith  John,  said.  Look  on  us.  And  he 
gave  heed  unto  them,  expecting  to  receive  something 
of  them.  Then  Peter  said.  Silver  and  gold  have  I 
none;  but  such  as  I  have  give  I  thee:  In  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Xazareth  rise  up  and  walk.  And 
he  took  him  by  the  right  hand,  and  lifted  him  up ; 
and  imniediately  his  feet  and  ankle  bones  received 
strength.  And  he  leajnng  up  stood,  and  walked, 
and  entered  with  them  into  the  temple,  walking, 
and  leaping,  and  praising  God.  And  all  the  people 
saw  him  walking  and  praising  God.''  And  in  the 
loth  verse,  "'And  they  knew  that  it  Avas  he  which 
sat  for  alms  at  the  Pcautiful  gate  of  the  temple: 
and  they  were  filled  with  wonder  and  amazement  at 
that  Avhich  had  happened  unto  him."  In  the  11  th 
verse  we  sec  the  jieople  iMuming  to  see  the  man  Avho 
Avas  healed,  "And  as  the  la  me  man  Avhich  Avas  healed 
held  Peter  and  John,  all  the  people  ran  together 
unto  them  in  the  porch  that  is  called  Solomon's, 
greatly  Avondering."' 

NoAV,  there  is  no  doubt  but  Avhat  this  is  as  I  have 
seen  it  in  my  minisliy.  that  the  i)eo})le  not  knowing 
that  God  did  this  healing  Avas  ready  to  give  the 
praise  to  Peter  and  .John,  and  thought  that  they 
were  great  men,  and  they  wcic  icady  to  worship 
them. 

1  remend)er  at  one  time  Avhen  a  Methodist 
preacher  and  I  Avent  to  a  ])lace  for  breakfast,  it  be- 
ing something  near  tAvo  or  three  o'clock  bc'fore  the 
meeting  closed  at  the  meeting  house,  and  there  Avas 
a  ladv  that   had  been  an   invalid   tor  seven  A'ears. 


124  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

She  was  tlie  daughtei'  of  a  man  and  Avoiiian  who 
lived  there.  I  had  talked  to  her  and  shown  her 
that  it  was  God's  will  to  heal  her,  and  she  accejited 
Jesus  Christ  as  her  healer,  and  was  prayed  for,  and 
she,  like  the  lame  man,  leaped  and  shouted  for  joy, 
ran  out  of  the  liouse  and  her  mother  began  shouting 
and  came  to  me  and  threw  her  arms  around  me  and 
caHed  me  second  Paul.  I  pushed  her  back  and  said, 
^'Tliis  is  Willis  M.  Brown,  that  w^as  God  that  did  the 
healing." 

So  I  have  thought  when  instances  like  this 
would  occur  in  my  ministry  that  it  was  like  it  was 
"v\dth  Peter  and  John,  and  the  people  looked  on  them 
the  same.  Now  to  make  it  more  plain  to  you  these 
people  that  morning  thought  I  was  the  most  won- 
derful man  on  earth.  They  had  never  heard  me 
preach  much,  the  people  belonged  to  the  Baptist 
sect.  When  they  heard  me  explain  the  gospel  in  its 
fulness,  the  plan  of  salvation,  the  duty  of  man  to 
God,  and  what  it  takes  to  serve  God  and  be  entitled 
to  his  blessings,  and  that  the  people  were  not  en- 
joying all  that  God  had  in  store  for  them,  but  w^ere 
living  beneath  their  privileges,  they  turned  against 
me,  1  was  not  welcome  at  their  houses  and  tJiey  were 
ready,  if  they  had  it  in  their  power  to  put  me  in 
jail,  as  they  were  to  put  Peter  and  John  in  jail. 

We  see  in  the  12th  verse,  '*And  when  Peter  saw 
it,  lie  answered  unto  the  people,  Ye  men  of  Israel, 
iviiy  mar\'el  ye  at  this?  or  why  look  ye  so  earnestly 
on  us,  as  though  by  our  own  power  or  holiness  we 
had  made  this  man  to  walk?'-  Also  the  13th,  11th, 
15th  and  IGtli  verses,  ''The  God  of  Abraham,  and  of 
Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  the  God  of  our  fathers,  hath 
glorified  his  son  Jesus ;  whom  ye  delivered  up,  and 
denied  him  in  the  presence  of  Pilate,  when  he  was 
determined  to  let  him  go.  But  ye  denied  the  Holy 
One  and  the  Just,  and  desired  a  murderer  to  be 
granted  unto  you.  And  killed  the  Prince  of  life, 
w^liom  God  hath  raised  from  the  dead :  whereof  we 


now   I  GOT   FAITJl  125 

are  witiicssos.  And  his  naiiic  throu.uh  failli  in  his 
name  hath  made  this  man  stroiiii,  wlioin  ye  see  and 
know :  yea,  the  faith  Avhieh  is  by  liim  liatli  j»iven  hiui 
this  perfect  soundness  in  the  presence  of  you  all. 
This  stirred  them  as  it  did  in  the  day  of  Christ  wlicn 
lie  set  forth  the  trutli,  perfoiined  mira(  les,  healed 
the  sick  and  claimed  that  it  was  God  that  did  the 
Avork  and  not  man,  and  insisted  on  them  losing" 
siiiht  of  his  man  power,  and  lookinm'  to  his  (Jod  i)o\v- 
er.  They  took  Christ  and  crucified  liim  lu'canse  the 
gospel  he  preached,  and  the  miracles  he  performed 
were  convincing'  the  people  that  there  was  some- 
thing better  for  them  than  they  had.  It  Avas  the 
same  in  the  days  Avhen  .John  and  Peter  AA'ere  at  the 
gate  of  the  temple  Avhen  the  poAver  of  Ood  Avas  mani- 
fested through  them  to  make  this  lame  man  walk 
Avho  had  never  Avalked,  they  AA'ere  glad  to  see  the 
Avork  done,  they  Avere  ready  to  Avorshi])  Peter  and 
John,  and  Avhen  they  testified  it  Avas  the  power  that 
Avas  in  Christ  that  it  Avas  the  same  AVork  that  he  had 
done,  and  that  they  did  it  in  his  name,  then  they 
Avei-e  ready  to  i)ut  Peter  and  dolm  in  ])ris()n. 

We  see  in  Acts  4:1-4,  "And  as  they  spake  unto 
the  people,  the  priests  and  the  captain  of  tlie  temi)le, 
and  the  Hadducees,  came  upon  them,  being  grieved 
that  they  taught  the  ])eople,  and  ])reached  throngh 
Jesus  the  resni-rection  from  the  dead.  And  they 
laid  hands  on  them,  and  put  them  in  hold  unto  the 
next  day:  for  it  Avas  noAV  eventide.  IIoAvbeit  many 
of  tliem  Avliich  heard  the  Avord  believed:  and  the 
number  of  the  men  Avas  al)onl  live  thousand."  We 
see  here  that  the  people  putting  John  and  IVter  into 
])rison  did  not  stop  the  AVork  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
The  ]>(>wer  of  (Jod  had  been  manifested  there  in  the 
healing  of  this  lame  man,  and  the  ]»eople  saw  the 
humbleness  and  honesty  of  John  and  I'eler,  and 
befoi-e  they  Avould  deny  the  AVork  of  Christ  and  lake 
the  honor  ni)on  themselves  they  Avould  go  behind 
the  ])i-is()n  bars  and  bear  the  reproach  of  being  gixcn 


126  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

the  iijinic  of  jail-birds.  As  the  people  would  see  the 
lame  man  Avalkiiij'-  and  praising  God,  the  Holy  Spir- 
it would  move  upoji  their  hearts  and  consciences 
and  convict  them  until  they  yielded  to  the  call  of 
God  and  surrendered.  This  great  revival  was  going 
on  while  Peter  and  John  were  in  prison.  Of  course 
the  preaching  that  Peter  and  John  had  been  preach- 
ing to  them  was  like  a  new  revelation  from  heaven, 
and  opened  up  their  understanding  to  the  fact  that 
there  was  something  better  for  them  than  they  had. 

Now  this  was  certainly  quite  a  revelation  and 
attracted  the  attention  of  a  great  many  people,  and 
from  what  I  have  seen  myself  in  my  ministry  I  am 
satisfied  there  was  quite  a  stir  there,  but  it  seems  to 
me  that  God's  power  worked  on  the  hearts  of  the 
authorities  of  the  law  as  well  as  on  the  others  that 
brought  Peter  and  John  out  of  the  prison  and  set 
them  before  them  to  ask  some  questions  and  go 
through  a  mock  trial.  But  Peter  was  ready.  He 
was  not  backslid  and  scared,  as  he  was  when  he 
denied  his  Christ,  we  find  in  Acts  4 :7-10,  "And  when 
they  had  set  them  in  the  midst,  they  asked,  By  what 
power,  or  by  what  name,  have  ye  done  this?  Then 
Peter,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  said  unto  them, 
Ye  rulers  of  the  people,  and  elders  of  Israel,  If  we 
this  day  be  examined  of  the  good  deed  done  to  the 
impotent  man,  by  Avhat  means  he  is  made  Avhole ;  be 
it  known  unto  you  all,  and  to  all  the  people  of  Is- 
rael, that  by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth, 
whom  ye  crucified,  whom  God  raised  from  the  dead, 
even  by  him  doth  this  man  stand  here  before  you 
Avhole."  And  in  the  12tli  verse,  "Neither  is  there 
salvation  in  any  other :  for  there  is  none  other  name 
under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must 
be  saved." 

AYe  see  here  that  they  did  not  Aveaken  or  seem 
scared  or  afraid  that  if  they  told  the  truth  that  they 
Avould  receive  greater  persecution,  but  with  bold- 
ness thev  stood  before  them,  and  the  Holv  Ghost 


now   I   GOT   FAITH  127 

talked  through  I'ctcr,  and  gave  these  rulers  to  un- 
derstand that  they  wotihl  not  take  the  honor  upon 
themselves,  but  tliat  it  was  the  Clirist  to  wlioni  they 
belonged,  and  there  is  no  other  name  by  which  it 
might  be  done. 

This  same  thing  that  happened  IIumc  is  the 
cause  in  many  instances  ol"  men  on  whom  God  lias 
laid  his  hand  and  sent  to  proclaim  the  triitli  as  he 
did  Peter  and  John,  not  being  used  and  God  is  not 
glorified,  and  the  ])eople  are  not  convinced  as  the 
people  were  then  because  of  the  fear  of  man  which 
falls  on  them  and  they  weaken  and  let  down  and 
obey  the  commands  of  man  rather  than  the  com- 
mands of  ( Jod.  This  does  not  convince  any  one  that 
God  has  sent  them,  or  that  -lesus  Christ  is  the  same 
toda> ,  but  rather  to  the  contrary. 

Xow  we  find  in  the  13th  verse,  that  after  Peter 
had  exi)lained  this  truth  they  saw  something:  "Now 
wiien  they  saw  the  boldness  of  Peter  and  John,  and 
perceived  that  they  were  unlearned  and  ignorant 
men,  they  marveled;  and  they  took  knowledge  of 
them,  that  tliey  had  been  with  Jesus."  Also  14th, 
15th.  Kith  and  17th  verses,  •"And  Iteholding  the  man 
which  was  healed  standing  Avith  them,  they  coidd 
say  nothing  against  it.  But  Avhen  they  had  com- 
manded them  to  go  aside  out  of  tlie  council,  they 
conferred  among  tliemselves,  saying.  What  sliall 
we  do  to  these  men?  for  tlnit  indeed  a  notable  mira- 
cle liatli  been  (h)ne  by  them  is  manifest  to  all  them 
that  dwell  in  Jerusalem:  and  we  cannot  deny  it. 
But  that  it  s|»read  no  furthei-  among  the  i»eo])le,  let 
US  straitly  tlireaten  them,  that  they  s}K'ak  hence- 
forth to  no  man  in  this  name."  And  they  called 
them  ami  demanded  them  not  to  speak  at  all  or 
teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  IN'ter  and  John 
said  unto  tliem,  as  follows:  X'erses  1!>,  L*().  iM ,  '2'2, 
"Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  (Jod  to  hearken 
unto  you  more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye.  For  we 
cannot  ])nt  speak  the  things  which  we  liave  seen  and 


128  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

heard.  So  when  they  had  further  threatened  them, 
they  let  them  s>o,  finding  nothing  how  they  ndght 
punisli  them,  because  of  the  people :  for  all  men 
glorified  God  for  that  which  was  done.  For  the 
man  was  above  forty  years  old,  on  whom  this  mira- 
cle of  healing  was  shewed." 

Xow  we  find  that  after  they  were  convinced  of 
the  fact  that  they  could  not  scare  them,  and  that 
they  could  not  weaken  them,  and  that  they  still  gave 
God  the  honor,  they  no  doubt  would  have  gladly 
punished  them,  or  put  them  to  death,  but  as  they 
saw  the  great  multitude  of  people  who  were  con- 
vinced, and  the  five  thousand  who  were  just  con- 
verted, and  no  doubt  saw  many  others  who  were 
thoroughly  convinced  that  these  men  were  the  men 
of  God  because  of  their  boldness  and  they  saw  that 
they  stood  steadfast  in  their  calling,  and  by  them 
so  doing  this  they  gained  the  people's  favor  and  the 
threatening  authorities  were  afraid  to  do  anything, 
for  fear  the  people  would  turn  against  them. 

I  saw  this  one  time  in  my  ministry  when  God 
had  manifested  his  power  wonderfully  and  the  gos- 
pel in  all  its  fulness  had  been  preached  and  I  had 
been  exposing  sectism  and  preaching  the  oneness  of 
God's  children  and  opposing  sin  in  all  forms,  their 
preacher  came  and  shut  me  out  of  the  house  and  the 
wicked  men  in  that  country  arose  against  him, 
opened  the  doors  and  came  after  me  to  go  ahead 
with  the  meeting,  and  said  if  I  did  not  there  should 
not  be  a  splinter  of  the  house  left;  that  they  had 
helped  to  build  that  house  to  have  the  gospel  preach- 
ed, and  that  they  had  never  heard  it  until  I  came, 
and  now  they  did  not  intend  that  I  should  be  shut 
out,  and  they  deprived  of  the  privilege  of  hearing 
the  truth.  So  I  went  and  preached  ten  days  longer, 
and  they  had  a  bundle  of  hickories  laying  under  the 
house  to  whip  the  preacher  if  he  even  came  to  meet- 
ing. 

It  seems  to  me  that  this  is  just  the  same  spirit 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  129 

that  existed  in  the  time  of  tlie  Aposth's.  Those  that 
the  iiospel  uncovered  their  sin  were  the  ones  who 
got  mad  and  the  ones  who  made  a  profession  and  bv 
their  influence  they  stirred  up  their  kindred  and 
friends  wlio  were  not  saved.  They  do  the  same 
thing  today.  But  the  ones  who  stand  out  without 
a  profession  and  are  honest  in  heart,  those  looking 
for  some  way  out  of  their  trouble  and  bondage,  are 
the  ones  Avho  protect  tlie  man  of  God  wlio  will  stand 
fast,  unmovable  and  will  love  him  and  protect  him 
and  support  him. 

Xow  we  see  in  the  23rd  verse,  ''And  being  let 
go,  they  went  to  their  own  company,  and  reported 
all  that  the  chief  priests  and  elders  had  said  unto 
them."  We  see  here  that  Peter  and  John  did  not 
take  upon  themselves  the  honor  and  glory,  nor  did 
they  desire  to  separate  themselves  from  the  children 
of  God  that  they  had  left  down  there.  God  was 
manifesting  his  power  where  they  were  and 
they  had  things  common  and  the  Lord  was  adding 
to  the  church  sucli  as  sliould  be  saved.  Tliere  was 
something  drawing  their  hearts  back  there.  It 
seems  that  1  can  see  them  as  they  went,  Peter  and 
John  in  the  lead,  the  scoffers,  rulers  and  professors 
making  fun  of  them  and  looking  upon  them  as  jail- 
birds, and  the  God  of  heaven  looking  down  on  them 
with  a  smile,  his  great  heart  was  made  glad  because 
he  had  preachers  that  would  stand  for  the  truth 
thougli  they  lost  their  reputation  and  had  gone  to 
jail.  They  were  assured  of  the  fact  as  they  would 
look  back  to  the  great  procession  that  was  follow- 
ing them,  the  five  thousand  that  were  saved  while 
they  Avere  in  jail,  and  the  lame  man  also,  no  doubt, 
was  in  the  crowd,  they  realized  that  they  had  com- 
mission to  preacli  the  gospel,  that  God  was  con- 
firming the  word  with  signs  following  which  gave 
them  greater  joy  and  more  pleasure  than  tlie  jU'ople 
who  have  the  honor  and  a])plause  of  men. 

We  see  in  the  21th  and  2r>ih  verses,  "And  when 


loO  now   I  GOT  FAITH 

they  heard  that,  they  lifted  up  tlieir  voices  to  God 
with  one  aecoid,  and  said,  I^ord  thou  art  God,  which 
hast  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all 
that  in  them  is :  Wlio  by  the  mouth  of  thy  servant 
David  hast  said.  Why  did  the  heathen  rai^e,  and  the 
people  imaoine  vain  things?"  And  hear  in  the  29th 
verse,  also  the  30th  verse,  ''And  now,  Lord,  behold 
their  threatenings.:  and  grant  unto  thy  servants, 
that  Avith  all  boldness  they  may  speak  thy  Avord, 
by  stretching  forth  thine  hand  to  heal ;  and  that 
signs  and  wonders  may  be  done  by  the  name  of  thy 
holy  child  Jesus." 

They  did  not  ask  God  to  withhold  his  power  a 
little,  and  to  give  them  better  judgment  that  they 
might  be  more  careful  and  please  the  people  better, 
that  they  Avould  not  get  into  jail  again :  but  they 
asked  God  for  poAver  to  speak  Avitli  boldness,  that 
the  people  might  be  conAinced,  the  deA'il  defeated 
and  that  honest  souls  might  haA^e  the  privilege  of 
hearing  the  gosi)el. 

The  31st  and  32nd  verses,  ''And  when  they  had 
prayed  the  place  w^as  shaken  where  they  were  as- 
sembled together:  and  they  were  all  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  they  spake  the  Avord  of  God  ^\itll 
boldness.  And  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed 
Avere  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul :  neither  said  any 
of  them  that  ought  of  tlie  things  which  he  possessed 
was  his  OAvn ;  but  they  had  all  things  common." 

We  find  by  reading  the  word  of  God  that  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost  there  were  one  hundred  twenty 
that  were  sanctified,  three  thousand  that  were  con- 
verted, and  they  had  all  things  common,  stood  stead- 
fast in  the  Apostles'  doctrine,  and  were  all  togeth- 
er, not  apart.  God  honored  their  worship  and 
preaching  and  added  to  the  church  daily  such  as 
should  be  saved.  Peter  and  John  went  up  there  and 
had  this  great  rcAival  and  victory  over  the  power  of 
hell  and  Avere  still  humble  and  did  not  become  ex- 


now  I  (;(»'i'  FAITH  131 

alted,  and  forgot  the  dear  ones  where  they  liad  been  ; 
but  their  hearts  kept  tender  towards  their  l)rethern 
and  they  had  a  longing  to  see  tlieni,  and  they  (k'sired 
to  retiiiii  to  where  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  which  makes  lis  one,  so  tliey  went  back  there, 
and  when  they  came  together  they  were  still  one, 
and  Avhen  they  told  of  the  great  re\'ival  they  had 
had  and  of  the  experiences  tliey  had  gone  tlirough, 
none  of  the  brethern  envied  them  or  looked  down  on 
them,  or  felt  hard  towards  them  because  tliey  had 
had  great  success.  At  that  time  they  did  not  say 
how  many  had  been  added  to  the  church  while  they 
were  up  there,  but  we  have  an  account,  taking  the 
three  thousand  as  converted  on  the  day  of  Pentecost 
and  the  five  thousand  when  Peter  and  John  were 
preaching,  making  over  eight  thousand  that  were 
not  sanctified,  and  one  hundred  twenty  that  were. 
^Vhen  the  place  was  shaken  where  they  were  and 
when  they  prayed  the  Holy  Ghost  filled  them,  and 
they  were  all  filled  Avith  the  Holy  (Jhost.  This  cer- 
tainly nuist  have  been  a  Avondei'ful  revival  and  the 
power  of  God  Avas  manifested  in  answer  to  prayer 
and  convinced  many  that  these  were  the  people  of 
(lod.  But  still  the  devil  did  not  quit:  he  was  still 
in  ])usiness.  P>ut  God's  mighty  ]>ower  moved  U])on 
those  who  now  Avere  sanctified  and  were  all  together 
and  had  all  things  common.  As  you  know  they  had 
not  heard  nuich  preaching,  the  spirit  began  to  lead 
them  to  consecrate,  to  make  sacrifice  foi*  the  gospel's 
sake,  and  to  have  that  care  one  for  another  as  Jesus 
said,  where  one  member  sutTer  all  the  Tnembers  suf- 
fer with  it. 

We  fiiul  in  verses  33,  34.  ami  35,  "And  with  great 
power  gave  the  Apostles'  witness  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  liord  Jesus :  and  great  grace  Avas  upon  them 
all.  Neither  Avas  there  any  among  them  that  lack- 
ed :  for  as  many  as  AA'ere  possessors  of  lands  or  hous- 
es sold  them,  and  brouglit  the  i)rices  of  the  things 
that  Ave  re  sold,  and  laid  I  hem  down  at  tlie  Apostles' 


132  now  I   GOT  FAITII 

feet :  and  distribution  was  made  unto  every  man  ac- 
cordini;  as  lie  had  need." 

Now,  we  see  lieie  that  they  realized  that  all  their 
possessions  belonged  to  God,  and  that  they  were 
members  of  the  spiritual  body  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
one  member  was  not  above  another,  and  that  where 
one  member  suffered  all  the  other  members  suffered 
with  it,  and  where  one  member  was  in  need  the  oth- 
er members  were  willing  to  supply.  This  is  what 
God  wants  today.  It  does  not  mean  that  we  shall 
throw  down  and  give  away  everything  that  we  have, 
as  some  people  teach,  and  go  out  as  tramps  in  the 
world ;  but  he  means  that  what  you  have  you  shall 
realize  that  it  belongs  to  the  Lord,  and  that  you  are 
stewards  over  it,  and  then  you  live  so  close  to  God 
that  he  can  impress  you  by  his  spirit  where  to  give 
and  whom  to  give  to.  It  is  true  that  you  can  make 
mistakes  sometimes,  but  God  does  not  impute  mis- 
takes as  sins,  and  because  you  might  give  in  the 
Avrong  place  sometimes,  and  it  would  afterwards 
prove  so  that  does  not  mean  that  you  close  up  your 
heart  and  pocketbook  and  never  again  give  where 
the  Lord  wants  you  to  give. 

\\'e  And  they  began  to  practice  this  and  there 
were  two  people  who  began  to  get  scared,  and  the 
spirit  of  covetousness  and  deceit  began  to  take  hold 
of  them  and  we  see  in  the  case  of  Ananias  and 
Sapphira,  as  you  will  find  in  Acts  5 :  1-11,  '*But  a 
certain  man  named  Ananias,  with  Sapphira  his 
wife,  sold  a  possession,  and  kept  back  part  of  the 
price,  his  i;\ife  also  being  privy  to  it,  and  brought 
a  certain  part,  and  laid  it  at  the  apostle's  feet.  But 
Peter  said,  Ananias,  why  hath  Satan  filled  thine 
heart  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  keep  back 
part  of  the  price  of  the  land?  While  it  remained, 
was  it  not  thine  own?  and  after  it  was  sold,  was  it 
not  in  thine  own  power?  Why  hast  thou  conceived 
this  thing  in  thine  heart?  Thou  hast  not  lied  unto 
men,  but  unto  God.     And  Ananias  hearing  these 


now   I  GOT  FAITH  ]o3 

words  fell  doAvii,  and  uavc  u[)  llie  lihost :  and  uroat 
foar  came  on  all  them  that  heard  these  Ihin.us.  And 
the  young-  men  arose,  wound  him  u[»,  and  carried 
him  out,  and  buried  him.  And  it  was  about  the 
space  of  three  hours  after,  Avhen  his  wife,  not  know- 
ing what  Avas  done,  came  in.  And  l*eter  answered 
unto  liei',  Tell  me  Avhether  ye  sold  the  land  for  so 
much.  And  she  said.  Yea,  for  so  nuich.  Then  l*eter 
said  unto  her.  How  is  it  that  ye  have  agreed  to- 
gether to  tempt  th(?  Spirit  of  the  Lord?  Behold, 
the  feet  of  them  whi<-h  have  buried  thy  husband  are 
at  the  door,  and  shall  carry  thee  out.  Then  fell 
she  straightway  at  his  feet,  and  yielded  up  the 
ghost;  and  the  young  men  came  in,  and  found  her 
dead,  and,  carrying  her  forth,  buried  her  by  her 
husband.  And  great  fear  came  upon  all  the  church, 
and  upon  as  many  as  heard  these  things."' 

Now,  we  see  that  God  ])ermitted  this  to  clean  up 
his  church.  As  it  is  in  great  revivals  today,  it  was 
then.  Some  get  hasty  and  without  counting  the 
cost  properly  make  a  profession,  they  might  have 
made  a  surrender  and  be  saved,  doing  all  they 
knew  to  do,  but  not  counting  the  cost,  not  settling- 
it  in  their  hearts  that  they  Avould  go  tlirongh  for 
God  at  any  cost,  when  the  trine  came  that  God  re- 
quired something  of  them,  that  they  did  not  desire 
to  do,  it  was  then  that  they  failed.  Had  God  let 
this  go  on  he  could  never  have  had  the  church  that 
he  prayed  for  in  the  17th  chapter  of  St.  John.  There 
have  been  covetous  ])e()])le,  ])eople  conforming  to 
the  world,  loving  the  Avorld  better  than  they  loved 
the  truth,  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Jesns  Glirist 
and  of  the  power  of  God,  not  having  the  fear  of 
(Jod:  which  would  have  made  a  mixed  multitude 
like  sect  ism  is  today,  and  God  could  not  have 
woiked  through  them,  lint  God  wanted  a  jM'ople 
that  was  wholly  given  up  to  him,  that  had  lost  sight 
of  the  world,  had  no  desire  to  adorn  their  bodies  in 
order  to  make  them  look  nice  to  the  world,  but  to  be 


134  HOW  I   GOT  FAITH 

neat  and  tleaii,  to  be  in  a  position  that  they  could 
conimaud  the  respect  of  honest  people,  that  they 
could  be  a  light  to  the  Avorld,  and  an  example  like 
Christ  left  for  us,  a  peculiar  people  filled  with  all 
the  fulness  of  God,  and  a  people  so  devoted  to  God 
that  God  could  work  through  them  as  he  did 
through  Jesus  Christ,  and  convince  the  world  that 
Christ's  mission  to  earth  was  not  a  failure,  this  is 
what  it  took  then  and  is  what  it  takes  now. 

We  find  in  Acts  5 :12-1C,  "And  by  the  hands  of 
the  apostles  were  many  signs  and  wonders  wrought 
among  the  people;  (and  they  were  all  Avith  one 
accord  in  Solomon's  porch.  And  of  the  rest  durst 
no  man  join  himself  to  them :  but  the  people  mag- 
nified them.  And  believers  were  the  more  added 
to  the  Lord,  multitudes  both  of  men  and  women). 
Insomuch  that  they  brought  forth  the  sick  into  the 
streets,  and  laid  them  on  beds  and  couches,  that 
at  least  the  shadow  of  Peter  passing  by  might  over- 
shadow some  of  them.  There  came  also  a  multitude 
out  of  the  cities  round  about  unto  Jerusalem,  bring- 
ing sick  folks,  and  them  which  were  vexed  with  un- 
clean spirits :  and  they  were  healed  every  one." 

Now  here  is  the  church  that  Jesus  had  reference 
to  in  the  ITth  chaptei'  of  St.  John  and  the  18th 
verse,  when  he  said  in  his  prayer  to  the  Father,  "As 
thou  hast  sent  me  into  the  world  even  so  have  I 
also  sent  them  into  the  world."  We  find  that  when 
Jesus  Avalked  upon  earth  he  healed  all  manner  of 
sickness,  and  he  healed  all  manner  of  diseases.  Xow 
while  prating  to  the  Father  in  the  17th  chapter  of 
John  he  was  making  his  preparations  to  leave  the 
world,  and  he  was  organizing  the  church  that  would 
represent  him,  and  that  God  could  use  as  He  had 
used  him,  so  he  sent  them  as  the  Father  had  sent 
him. 

Now,  Ave  see  after  the  gospel  had  been  preached 
by  the  Apostles  and  the  power  of  God  manifested 
to  heal  and  this  great  number  had  been  brought  to- 


HOW    I   (.;oT   FAITH  135 

getlier,  God  coiild  see  that  there  were  some  that 
Avould  not  stand,  and  that  he  could  not  use,  so  he 
gave  them  a  eleaning  up  by  tlie  death  of  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  and  the  fear  of  God  came  upon  them 
all,  and  tliose  who  were  not  willing  to  i)ay  the  price 
and  subndt  to  the  rules  that  God  had  laid  down  by 
his  Sidrit  in  the  church,  they  durst  not  join  them- 
selves unto  them,  ami  was  afraid  to  do  it,  for  fear 
that  their  fate  would  be  as  Ananias  and  Sapphira, 
and  none  would  join  themselves  to  them  but  those 
willing  to  pay  the  price  who  had  lost  sight  of  all 
things  around  them,  and  would  go  through  on  the 
Bible  line,  then  God  could  keep  his  church  pure, 
that  was  the  one  body  that  was  the  one  people  and 
they  were  of  one  mind.  As  God's  great  nund  moved, 
the  church  moved,  and  in  this  the  power  of  God  was 
manifested  in  healing  all  nmnner  of  sickness  and 
disease,  as  it  was  when  Jesus  was  on  earth,  and  this 
convinced  the  people,  and  nuiltitudes  were  saved. 

IJiother,  sister,  and  friend,  God  wants  it  this 
way  today.  God  cannot  Avork,  and  talk,  through  a 
divided  body,  and  if  we  Avho  claim  to  be  the  body 
of  Jesus  Christ  Avill  let  the  fear  of  God  come  on  us 
until  everything  is  purged  out  of  our  hearts  that 
clamors  for  the  world  or  for  style  or  for  super- 
lluities,  or  for  anything  that  is  contrary  to  God's 
will,  and  to  have  our  whole  hearts,  time,  talents  and 
all  surrendered  to  God  to  his  service,  for  his  glory 
for  tile  salvation  of  souls,  the  healing  of  the  afliict- 
ed,  for  the  convincing  of  the  world  that  Jesus 
Christ's  nussion  was  not  a  failure  on  earth,  that 
the  same  things  can  be  done  through  the  church 
that  we  have  on  record  before  us  in  tlie  5th  Cliaptcr 
of  Acts.  God  wants  his  churcli  pure,  and  it  takes 
that,  and  God  will  have  it  pure  before  he  comes. 
This  is  the  kind  of  church  that  he  is  coming  after, 
and  you  had  ])ett('r  I'c  ])repared  and  ready. 

My  brother  minister,  do  not  clamor  for  the 
world  and  put  in  your  time  trying  to  convince  the 


13G  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

people  tliat  tliey  .should  give  all  men  the  privilege 
of  conscience  and  to  recognize  them  and  fellowship 
them  and  try  to  agree  with  them  in  prayer  for  the 
healing  of  the  sick.  You  can  never  do  it.  It  is  im- 
possible. It  is  contrary  to  God's  word  and  teach- 
ings, and  God  will  never  work  through  any  such  a 
mess.  But  if  you  will  lay  on  your  face  before  God, 
seek  to  know  his  will,  pray  God  to  keep  you  out  of 
this  and  cn^erything  that  is  not  of  God,  and  every- 
thing that  is  inclined  to  lead  you  away  from  God  or 
cause  you  to  want  the  praise  of  men  rather  than  the 
approval  of  God,  you  can  pray  the  prayer  of  faith 
as  the  Apostles  did  after  they  had  left  the  temple 
and  had  gone  to  the  other  brethern.  You  can  call 
on  God  to  stretch  forth  his  hand  to  heal,  and  to 
send  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  you  may  preach  the 
"word  of  God.  with  boldness.  Let  your  commission 
be  for  the  benefit  of  humanity,  for  the  glory  of  God 
instead  of  to  the  detriment  of  humanity  and  a  re- 
proach to  God's  cause.  We  cannot  gain  the  favor 
of  all  the  people,  cannot  make  sectism  come  to 
accept  the  truth,  ( except  those  that  God  moves  on, 
and  those  whom  he  has  called  out  of  sectism  to 
come  out  and  join  in  mth  the  saints  of  God),  but 
Ood  says,  "Come  out  of  her  my  people,"  and  those 
are  all  that  we  can  expect,  except  some  honest  souls 
who  are  w^on  to  the  Truth  by  our  trueness  and  faith- 
fulness to  God  and  being  w^here  God  can  manifest 
his  power  through  us,  as  he  did  through  the  Apos- 
tolic church,  and  convince  them  that  there  is  some- 
thing better  for  them  than  what  they  have. 

It  is  not  the  multitudes  that  God  is  expecting 
hiis  church  to  mn,  but  it  is  the  few,  for  straight  is 
the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way,  and  few  there  be 
that  find  it.  Be  careful  brother,  that  you  do  not 
get  into  the  wide  road  where  you  have  favor  ^-ith 
sectism,  w^here  you  can  preach  in  their  meeting 
houses  and  hold  meetings  with  them,  and  they  hold 
meetings  with  you,  you  are  in  danger.    God  is  liable 


now   I  GOT  FAITH  137 

to  give  you  an  expeiieiice  like  Ananias  and  ^Sap- 
phira,  especially  you  who  have  known  the  truth  for 
years,  and  liave  preached  it,  and  told  the  people 
that  they  should  not  conlorm  to  the  woi'ld,  have 
preached  against  plumes  and  featliers,  i-ag  liowers, 
ruffles,  laces,  neck-ties,  corsets  and  superfluity  of 
all  kind  and  all  conformity  to  the  world.  Foi-  you 
to  now  think  that  you  have  a  new  revelation  from 
God,  and  let  down  to  favor  those  things  that  you 
have  preached  against,  you  are  in  danger.  You 
are  grieving  God's  great  heart,  you  are  reproaching 
the  cause  of  God.  You  are  saying  tlnit  all  these 
years  you  have  been  deluded,  and  have  been  preach- 
ing the  wrong  things  to  them.  Then  the  people  ^ill 
say  if  there  is  a  mistake  in  your  preaching  against 
superfluity  and  worldly  conformity  and  in  the  tie, 
then  were  you  not  mistaken  in  the  other  things,  and 
probably  divine  healing  has  passed  away,  and  the 
oneness  of  God's  people  has  passed  away  and  the  re- 
formation is  not  of  God,  and  you  will  mis-lead  peo- 
ple and  bring  their  reproach  upon  your  own  soul, 
and  at  the  jtidgment  bar  of  God  when  you  say  w^e 
have  prophesied  in  thy  name,  and  in  thy  name  done 
many  v/onderful  things,  then  He  Avill  answer  you, 
"I  know  you  not,  depart  from  me  ye  workers  of  in- 
iquity into  the  lake  of  fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and 
his  angels,  I  never  knew  you." 

NoAV,  certainly  if  we  lived  the  life  the  Apostles 
lived,  preach  the  doctrine  that  the}-  preached,  prac- 
tice what  they  practiced,  we  may  expect  persecu- 
tion, and  this  is  what  some  preachers  are  getting 
afraid  of  now,  is  persecution,  and  that  their  needs 
will  not  be  supplied.  They  i)ro])al)ly  have  not  man- 
aged just  right,  and  have  used  their  own  wisdom 
in  place,  of  the  wisdom  of  God  and  gotten  in  debt, 
became  somewhat  discouraged,  and  let  down  in 
their  experience,  then  the  devil  tells  them  that  Ihcy 
are  too  strict  and  that  you  never  can  get  out  of 
debt,  and  that  you  are  reproaching  the  cause,  and 


138  now  r  got  faith 

tliat  you  sliould  be  a  little  more  lenient  and  easier, 
and  give  the  i)eople  libeity  of  conscience,  it  would 
move  tlieii'  hearts,  and  more  would  accept  the 
truth,  and  more  means  would  come  into  the  church 
and  their  needs  would  be  supplied.  This  is  a  lie 
and  a  trick  of  the  devil,  and  he  tried  to  tempt  Jesus 
in  the  same  Avay,  as  you  will  see  in  the  4th  Chapter 
of  St.  Matthew  when  the  devil  offered  Jesus  the 
whole  world  if  he  would  fall  down  and  worship 
him.  He  was  hungry,  had  not  eaten  for  forty  days 
and  nights,  and  he  would  not  do  it,  and  God  sent 
angels  to  minister  unto  him.  If  you  have  gotten 
beidnd  and  in  debt  and  the  devil  is  tempting  you  in 
this  Avay,  you  do  just  as  Jesus  Christ  did,  he  would 
not  fall  down  and  worship  the  devil  for  the  whole 
Avorld,  and  don't  you  do  it  for  a  few  dollars,  or  for 
anything  that  he  may  present  to  you,  and  God  will 
bring  you  through,  so  be  strong  and  of  good  cheer 
and  leave  it  in  God's  hands,  and  God  will  prove  to 
you  that  you  are  not  of  the  world  and  God  has 
chosen  you  out  of  the  World,  and  that  you  are  an 
instrument  in  his  hands,  and  God  will  in  some  way 
bring  it  around  that  you  shall  have  your  needs  sup- 
plied. You  Avill  not  have  to  suffer  with  hunger. 
He  will  take  care  of  his  own  cause.  If  you  will 
stand  true  he  will  take  care  of  you,  you  may  have 
to  stand  persecution,  and  possibly  get  hungry  and 
have  very  little  to  eat,  your  clothes  get  bare,  and 
the  devil  will  try  to  make  you  ashamed,  he  did  me 
once,  and  my  clothes  were  hardly  fit  to  go  into  the 
pulpit,  and  the  devil  was  trying  me  very  hard,  but 
I  covenanted  with  God  that  I  would  stand  true  to 
him,  and  God  opened  up  the  way  mysteriously  for 
me  to  get  what  I  needed,  and  he  will  supply  your 
needs,  tarry  before  him  and  he  will  help  you. 

I  was  stopping  at  a  house,  the  woman  was  a 
professor  of  religion,  her  husband  was  a  sinner,  yet 
friendly  to  the  truth.  They  had  a  little  grandchild 
— their  children  were  all  grown,  and  this  nine-year- 


now  1  ciOT  FAITH  ]o9 

old  gi-aiiddau<>ht('i-  was  with  tliciii.  'IMicv  w orsliijx'd 
her.  One  iiioht  slic  took  tlic  toothaclic  I  was 
called  iq)  two  or  tluee  times  in  the  ni.uht  lo  piay 
for  her,  then  she  came  to  my  room  a  time  or  tw^o. 
Her  tooth  would  get  easy,  but  would  commence 
hiu'ting  again,  and  went  ou  until  some  time  during 
the  next  day.  If  I  aui  not  mistaken  1  prayed  for 
her  eight  times,  aud  finally  she  was  almost  going 
into  spasms.  They  called  me  into  the  room  and  she 
was  down  on  tlie  Hoor,  lier  grandmother  and  gi-and- 
father  were  liolding  lier  and  almost  l)athing  her  in 
tears,  and  seemingly  she  would  have  spasms.  I 
went  on  my  knees  and  put  my  hand  on  "her  jaw, 
called  on  God  mightily  that  he  would  heal  her  and 
manifest  his  power  to  that  man  and  woman,  who 
had  failed  to  give  the  best  of  their  life  and  was 
just  about  ready  to  step  into  eternity  and  they  un- 
prepared. She  was  healed  instantly,  and  went  to 
sleep  while  I  was  praying  for  her,  as  she  had  not 
slept  all  night.  I  did  not  know  why  God  liad  per- 
mitted all  this,  but  in  a  day  or  so  this  old  lady  took 
me  in  the  buggy  with  her  to  town,  and  took  me  into 
a  clothing  store  and  bought  me  a  nice  suit  of 
clothes,  a  pair  of  shoes  and  a  hat,  and  then  I  could 
see  why  God  had  permitted  it.  If  I  had  been  com- 
promising with  the  world,  going  against  the  light 
that  God  had  given  me,  I  never  could  have  prayed 
the  prayer  of  faith,  hence  I  would  never  have  gotten 
the  clothes.  If  you  w^ant  God  to  supply  you,  you 
stand  true,  preach  the  radical  truth.  Go  through  the 
tests,  you  will  come  out  all  right,  as  Jesus  set  the 
example,  in  the  end.  This  will  bring  persecution, 
as  it  did  to  the  Apostles,  as  we  see  after  this  great 
revival.  In  Acts  5:17-18  you  will  find  that  after 
God  had  so  manifested  his  power  the  ])erse(uti()n 
arose,  "Then  the  high  ])riest  rose  up,  and  all  they 
that  were  with  him,  (which  is  the  sect  of  the  Sad- 
duccees)  and  were  filled  with  indignation,  and  laid 


140  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

tlu'ii-  hands  on  the  apostles,  and  put  them  in  the 
common  prison." 

Tliey  may  do  that  for  us,  and  will  no  doubt  in 
some  instances,  if  we  stand  as  true  as  God  wants  us 
to.  If  they  do  not  do  tliat,  they  will  do  other  thin.i»s, 
and  God  is  just  as  able  to  care  for  us  now  as  he 
Avas  then.  In  the  18th  verse  we  find  they  put  them 
in  prison  but  the  Lord  sent  an  angel  and  opened 
the  prison  doors,  Acts  5  :19,  ''But  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  by  night  opened  the  prison  doors,  and  brought 
them  forth  and  said,"  (20tli  verse)  "Go,  stand  and 
speak  in  the  temple  to  the  people  all  the  words  of 
this  life."  We  find  that  they  went  to  the  temple 
and  began  to  preach,  and  they  had  the  officers 
come  together,  as  Ave  find  in  the  21st  Averse,  "And 
AAiien  they  heard  that,  they  entered  into  the  temple 
early  in  the  morning,  and  taught.  But  the  high 
priest  came,  and  they  that  Avere  Avith  him,  and 
called  the  council  together,  and  all  the  senate  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  and  sent  to  the  prison  to  haA^e 
them  brought."  Also  verses  22  and  23,  "But  when 
officers  came,  and  found  them  not  in  the  prison, 
they  returned,  and  told,  saying.  The  prison  truly 
found  we  shut  with  all  safety,  and  the  keepers 
standing  without  before  the  doors :  but  when  we 
had  opened,  Ave  found  no  man  within."  Also  A^erses 
21,  25,  26,  "XoAv  AAiien  the  high  priest  and  the  cap- 
tain of  the  temple  and  the  chief  priests  heard  these 
things,  they  doubted  of  them  Avhereunto  this  would 
groAV.  Then  came  one  and  told  them  saying,  Be- 
hold, the  men  whom  ye  put  in  prison  are  standing 
in  the  temple,  and  teaching  the  people.  Then  went 
the  captain  with  the  officers,  and  brought  them 
Avithout  violence:  for  they  feared  the  people,  lest 
they  should  have  been  stoned." 

Just  as  easy  as  God  delivered  those  Apostles  out 
of  prison  and  sent  them  to  preach  in  the  temple, 
he  can  deliA^er  you  out  of  debt  and  bondage  of  CA^ery 
kind,  and  set  you  free  to  where  you  can  preach  the 


now  I  GOT  lAlTU  1-41 

gospel  Avitli  liberty.  You  Avill  never  get  liberty  by 
eoiupi-oinisiiig.  There  is  no  use  to  eomproniise  and 
bow  down  to  the  devil,  and  acknowledge  to  him 
that  you  have  been  too  hard  on  him,  and  preached 
the  gospel  too  straight,  and  think  that  you  will 
ever  get  favor  and  out  of  debt,  and  out  of  troulde, 
and  get  to  Avhere  3'ou  can  do  more  for  God.  You 
may  gain  some  of  the  things  of  this  world,  and  win 
the  favor  of  people  and  get  money  and  can  pay  off 
your  debts  and  have  plenty,  and  when  you  come  to 
pray  your  last  prayer  you  find  that  you  have  weak- 
ened, and  that  you  are  a  false  prophet,  have  sold 
out  to  the  devil,  and  then  you  will  realize  that  your 
financial  standing  lias  cost  you  your  soul  and  that 
after  you  have  preached  to  others  that  you  your- 
self would  have  to  be  a  castaway,  what  shall  it 
profit  you.  This  is  not  only  for  the  preacher,  it  is 
also  for  the  children  of  God. 

Xow  brother  and  sister  if  you  want  to  have  the 
power  of  God  manifested  in  these  last  days  as  it 
was  in  the  Apostolic  days  you  line  up  to  the  Avord 
of  God,  like  they  did  in  the  5th  cha])ter  of  Acts, 
and  God  Avill  use  us  as  he  did  tlien.  But  he  never 
can  do  it  with  some  clamoring  for  the  superfluity  of 
the  world,  etc.,  and  others  afraid  to  differ  and  op- 
pose the  compromise,  for  fear  of  making  divisicm 
and  hold  them  in  full  fellowshi])  and  tliink  tliat 
God  Avill  manifest  his  power  throngli  them,  he  will 
never  do  it,  could  not  do  it  through  Ananias  and 
Sap])hira,  and  he  Avill  not  do  it  in  this  day. 

We  (iml  that  when  Ihey  had  tried  the  Apostles 
and  beaten  them  and  commanded  that  they  should 
not  sj)eak  in  the  name  of  Jesus  they  let  them  go. 
They  did  iiot  quit  ])reaching,  but  Avherever  they 
went  Ave  see  the  spiiit  of  God  Avent  Avilh  tliein,  and 
Avherever  they  preached  the  poAver  of  G«od  Avas  man- 
ifested. 

AVe  see  in  the  8th  chapter  of  Acts  whei-e  rhilip 
Avent  doAvn  to  Samaria  and  preached  Ghiist  unto 


142  now   1  GOT  lAlTll 

thciii,  and  how  lliat  God's  power  Avas  iiiaiiifostcd 
and  the  jjeopie  believed.  Acts  8  :5-8,  "Then  Tliilip 
went  down  to  the  city  of  Samaria,  and  preached 
Christ  unto  them.  And  the  people  with  one  accord 
gave  heed  unto  those  tliini;s  which  Philip  spake, 
hearing  and  seeing  the  miracles  which  he  did.  For 
unclean  spirits,  crying  with  loud  voice,  came  out  of 
many  that  were  possessed  with  them :  and  many 
taken  with  palsies,  and  that  were  lame,  were  healed. 
And  there  was  great  joy  in  that  city."  He  preached 
Christ.  He  did  not  preach  what  the  people  believed 
and  Avhat  thej  had  come  to  the  conclusion  was  right, 
and  how  that  forty  or  fifty  of  them  got  together  and 
made  rules  for  all  to  go  by,  but  he  preached  Christ. 
Brother,  how  is  it  with  you  where  you  go.  Are 
there  unclean  spirits  cast  out,  is  any  one  healed  in 
your  ministry?  Is  the  congregation  better  when 
you  leave,  hj  them  being  filled  with  God  and  faith 
and  cominced  of  the  fact  that  the  slightest  remedy 
hinders  faith,  but  put  their  whole  trust  in  God, 
and  that  the  means  that  they  have  been  spending 
for  superfluities  and  foolishness  should  be  turned 
into  the  treasury  box  the  first  day  of  each  Aveek, 
and  at  least  once  a  month  there  should  be  collection 
made  to  go  to  missionaries  in  the  heathen  lands, 
because  they  are  to  keep  up  the  work  at  home  and 
support  the  preacher  and  loose  his  hands  so  he  can 
have  opportunity  to  study  the  word  of  God  and 
devote  his  time  in  preaching,  that  he  may  be  able 
to  preach  the  truth  when  he  comes.  Or  do  you 
leave  them  believing  that  they  have  all  the  time 
been  very  fanatic,  and  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  be 
so  particular,  and  it  is  all  foolishness  about  how 
long  the  ribbon,  or  how  big  the  bow  on  the  chil- 
dren's hat,  and  that  it  does  not  matter  if  you  use 
three  yards  of  ribbon  or  a  shorter  piece  on  the 
children's  hair,  and  that  you  have  been  in  bondage, 
and  that  you  should  have  liberty  of  conscience,  and 
Avear  what  you  felt  would  make  you  more  commend- 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  143 

able  to  the  people  with  whom  you  associate.  If  tliis 
is  your  condition  may  (Jod  bother  you  and  convict 
you  and  send  you  to  tlie  wilderness  where  you  cau 
lay  on  your  face  before  God,  until  you  can  find  out 
for  what  purpose  Jesus  Christ  sent  you,  I  know 
this  is  plain  but  it  is  trnth  and  you  must  acknowl- 
edge it. 

You  can  see  there  is  something  wrong,  the  power 
of  God  is  not  manifested  among  the  saints  as  it 
sliould  be.  the  devil  has  always  tried  to  defeat  the 
plan  of  salvation  and  he  will  try  it  until  Jesus 
comes.  Let  us  take  courage.  Let  the  standard  of 
truth  and  the  old  time  Pentecostal  fire  come  against 
the  devil  and  the  powers  of  hell,  and  let  us  follow 
our  example  and  lead  souls  to  God,  as  they  did  in 
the  Apostolic  church.  Let  us  preach  and  pray  for 
God  to  protect  them,  so  that  not  only  in  a  camp- 
meeting  occasionally,  but  that  our  little  meetings 
in  our  own  congregation  may  be  alive  for  God,  and 
with  such  faith  in  him  that  the  blind  may  see,  the 
lame  may  walk,  and  the  deaf  may  hear,  the  dumb 
speak  and  all  manner  of  affliction  be  healed,  and  oc- 
casionally the  dead  raised,  that  God  may  be  glori- 
fied and  the  people  convinced  that  we  are  not  of  the 
world,  that  w^e  are  not  a  sect,  but  that  we  are  mem- 
bers of  the  great  chiirch  Avhich  Jesus  built  to  take 
])eo})le  to  heaven  in,  and  that  he  has  no  other  way 
to  go  than  this  way. 

Do  not  condenui  this,  brother,  consider  it.  You 
get  on  your  knees  and  call  on  God  to  help  you  to 
give  it  justice  bei'oi-e  setting  it  aside,  and  see  when 
you  get  through  if  you  cannot  ask  (Jod  to  bear 
witness  to  the  truth,  and  let  it  be  edifying  and 
beneficial  to  all  who  read  it,  is  my  prayer. 


144  now  I  GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTER  XIII 


HOW   TO    MAKE   A   SUCCESFUL   PREACHER    WHEN    GOD 
HAS  CALLED 


Acts  G  :S^  ^'And  Stephen,  fiill  of  faith  and  power, 
did  great  wonders  and  miracles  among  the  people." 

When  God  has  called  one  to  preach  they  can  be 
helped  in  many  ways  to  fill  the  call.  But  there  are 
some  gifts  that  they  have  to  have  before  God  will 
call. 

First  is  the  gift  of  faith.  Now  I  believe  that 
God  has  given  all  mankind  faith  to  a  certain  extent. 
Faith  can  be  cultivated  just  like  a  plant.  You  have 
a  plant  in  your  garden,  if  you  do  not  see  to  keeping 
the  weeds  cut  down,  the  ground  loosened  up,  and 
well  Avatered  it  will  not  grow.  If  you  do  not 
cultivate  what  faith  God  has  given  you,  by  putting 
it  into  practice  it  will  not  grow.  If  you  take  every- 
thing by  sight  and  by  chance  and  do  not  exercise 
any  faith,  your  faith  will  become  dormant.  AVe  can 
exercise  faith  by  commencing  in  small  things.  Pur- 
pose in  our  hearts  to  give  so  much  to  God's  cause 
by  a  certain  time,  then  pray  God  to  provide  the  way 
for  you  to  get  it,  and  accept  any  way  God  pro^ades. 
He  ndght  provide  a  job  of  work.  It  is  not  faith  to 
sit  down  and  not  do  anything  and  expect  God  to 
hand  it  down  to  you,  but  if  you  pray  and  then  the 
Lord  opens  up  the  way,  then  you  move. 

You  have  to  have  faith  to  make  a  preacher. 
Stephen,  we  find,  was  a  man  that  had  faith.  He 
was  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  it  seems  that  the 
ministry  and  the  congregation  recognized  him  as  a 
man  of  faith,  for  he  Avas  chosen  to  do  the  work  of 
a  deacon,  and  when  God  saw  Ms  trueness  and 
faithfulness  he  put  more  responsibility  upon  him, 
as  he  will  upon  every  individual  on  whom  he  lays 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  145 

his  hand.  You  cannot  make  a  "successful  preacher 
and  not  have  faith  in  God.  It  is  necessary  to  be- 
come acquainted  with  God  to  have  faith  in  liim. 
Jesus  set  this  example,  as  exphiined  in  the  former 
chapter.    So  "we  take  his  example. 

I  kncAV  a  preacher  one  time  that  God  called  to 
preach.  He  felt  his  call,  the  people  opposed  him, 
and  the  devil  opposed  him,  and  none  thought  that 
he  could  preach.  He  could  not  read  the  Bible,  and 
did  not  kno"\v  what  the  Bible  taught  concerninp:  a 
call  to  the  ministry,  but  felt  God's  hand  on  him 
for  the  work.  He  took  his  Bilde  and  went  to  his 
room  and  locked  himself  up,  went  on  his  knees  be- 
fore God  and  prayed  God  to  give  him  understand- 
ing of  the  Word,  and  let  the  Bible  fall  open  to  the 
place  where  he  could  get  some  understanding  and 
faith,  it  fell  open  at  the  first  chapter  of  Matthew, 
It  was  a  little  hard  to  understand,  until  he  came 
to  the  twenty-first  verse,  then  seemingly  God  began 
to  open  u])  his  understanding,  and  as  he  would  s])ell 
and  stammer  along,  ])raying  earnestly  for  God  to 
unfold  his  Avord  to  him,  the  tears  flowed  down  his 
cheeks,  as  he  stayed  on  his  knees.  He  reached  the 
latter  part  of  the  third  chapter  of  ^Matthew,  and 
saw  where  Jesus  set  the  example  for  baptism. 
When  he  got  into  the  fourth  chapter  he  saw  tliere 
where  Jesus  tarricsl  in  the  wilderness  forty  days 
and  nights  without  eating.  God  began  to  ])nll  back 
the  veil  of  ignorance,  and  turn  on  the  light  from 
the  courts  of  heaven,  and  bind  that  truth  on  his 
heart,  and  in  this  he  got  an  understanding  that 
Jesus  was  a  ])rea(her,  and  that  (iod  .sent  him  as 
an  exam])le  not  only  as  a  Glnistian  and  for  the 
church,  but  as  a  preacher,  and  here  in  this  he  had 
set  an  exam])le  where  the  )>re;i(lier  niiglil  liirry 
before  God  until  he  lost  sight  of  all  men.  and  must 
tarry  there  until  lu'  come  in  possession  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  which  was  tiie  wiiter  of  the  Word  and  that 
they  wonld  have  tlie  same  (Jod  ])ower  Ihnt  was  in 


140  now    I   GOT  FA  ITU 

Christ  and  would  preach  the  word  of  God  just  like 
the  Holy  Ghost  luid  dictated  it  to  the  men  of  God 
who  wrote  it,  and  they  wrote  it  just  like  Jesus 
preached  it. 

Already  having  come  into  possession  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  he  now  became  better  acquainted  with 
God  by  reading  and  lalking  with  him.  By  the  time 
he  got  to  where  Jesus  did  not  bow  down  to  the  devil 
for  the  whole  world,  as  you  will  find  in  the  4th 
chapter  and  10th  verse.  'Then  saith  Jesus  unto 
him.  Get  thee  hence,  Satan :  for  it  is  written.  Thou 
Shalt  Avorship  the  Lord  Thy  God,  and  him  only 
shalt  thou  serve."  See  also  the  11th  verse,  ''Then 
the  devil  leaveth  him,  and,  behold,  angels  came  and 
ministered  unto  him." 

He  saw  in  this  that  Jesus  did  not  want  him  to 
compromise  with  the  devil,  because  of  the  surround- 
ings and  circumstances,  and  that  He  does  not  want 
part  of  the  Word  cast  off  or  leave  out  part  of  his 
word  to  get  favor  with  the  people,  and  there  he  de- 
cided if  Jesus  would  not  bow  down  to  the  devil  for 
the  whole  world  he  would  not  bow  down  to  him 
for  anything  that  was  in  the  world.  And  as  Jesus 
had  told  his  disciples  that  when  the  comforter, 
which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  would  come  that  He  would 
teach  them  all  things  that  he  had  told  them,  he  be- 
lieved it,  and  that  it  Avould  teach  him.  He  lost 
sight  of  man  and  the  teachings  of  man,  and  the 
writings  of  man,  and  put  his  faith  and  trust  in  God. 

At  one  time  this  brother  and  three  other  preach- 
ers each  preached  a  trial  sermon,  he  thought  he  had 
preached  a  wonderful  sermon,  and  thought  that  he 
had  certainly  proved  to  the  people  that  God  had 
called  him  to  preach.  He  thought  he  had  done 
better  than  they,  so  on  going  up  to  Avhere  some  men 
were  talking  next  day,  he  discovered  that  they  were 
talking  about  the  preaching,  and  as  they  did  not  see 
him  he  stopped  to  listen.  They  made  some  re- 
marks about  the  three  other  pi-eachers  and  said 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  147 

they  were  going  to  be  preachers,  and  then  spoke 
of  him.  They  called  his  name  and  pitying  him, 
said  that  he  could  never  preach,  that  God  liad  called 
some  one  else  and  lie  had  answered.  It  was  a  ter- 
rible shock  to  him,  and  a  surprise  and  came  like  a 
thunder  bolt  out  of  a  clear  sky,  as  he  was  expecting 
everybody  to  be  pleased  with  the  things  that  he  did, 
but  it  was  the  very  tiling  that  he  needed.  You  see 
he  was  on  the  very  eve  of  getting  exalted,  and  if 
they  had  spoken  of  him  as  Avell  as  they  had  of  the 
others  the  devil  would  have  taken  advantage  of  this 
and  made  him  become  exalted  but  the  devil  took 
advantage  of  what  they  said  and  tried  to  discour- 
age him,  and  it  seemed  for  a  while  that  he  would 
succeed,  but  he  attended  to  his  business  as  well  as 
possible,  and  on  reaching  home  he  went  to  a  grove 
which  was  his  place  of  secret  ])rayer,  and  he  tried 
to  give  up  i)reaching,  and  get  out  from  under  the 
call,  and  promised  God  that  if  he  would  lift  his 
hand  off  of  him  and  release  him  of  the  burden  of  the 
ministry,  and  would  ])r()si)er  him  in  making  nKmey 
that  he  would  give  one  half  of  all  lie  made  to  the 
cause.  It  seemed  that  darkness  came  around  liim 
and  God's  Spirit  was  leaving  him,  and  he  (juickly 
felt  tlie  mistake  that  he  had  made.  He  tarried  there 
before  God  until  he  cjillcd  Icick  what  he  had  said 
and  told  God  to  give  him  wisdom  and  power  to  till 
the  place  that  he  had  called  him  to,  and  that  he 
would  fill  it  at  any  cost. 

He  did  not  know  that  was  not  the  last  trial. 
God  encouraged  him  and  })repar(Ml  him  for  the  next 
trial,  and  for  the  many  others  which  came  thick 
and  fast,  but  he  stood  true  to  God,  and  Avhen  it 
came  time  that  he  had  to  say  g<)(MM)y('  to  wife  and 
childicn  and  tnrn  ovt'r  all  his  possessions  to  his 
creditors  and  step  out  on  the  promises  of  God,  he 
did  it.  and  God  blessed  him  in  doing  so,  and  stood 
by  him  in  tinu's  that  looked  like  starvation  was 
just  at   the  dooi-.  and  provided  in  niystei'ions  ways 


148  now  1  GOT  FAITH 

for  liis  lurcls.  In  discoui'agemeut.s  and  in  mobs 
and  in  many  other  oppositions  too  numerous  to 
mention,  Cxod  proved  himself  to  him,  and  made  it 
very  plain  that  if  he  Avould  trust  him,  and  him 
alone  and  not  sell  out  to  the  devil,  nor  bow  down 
to  him  for  the  least  or  the  greatest  offer  he  could 
make,  he  would  be  with  him  alway,  even  until  the 
end  of  the  world,  and  this  has  continued  for  more 
than  nineteen  years. 

He  has  witnessed  the  lame  to  walk,  the  blind  to 
see,  the  dumb  to  speak,  the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the 
dead  raised  that  Avere  given  up  by  doctors  to  be 
dead,  and  he  is  still  in  the  battle. 

Ofttimes  the  dcA'il  has  tried  to  take  his  life,  but 
just  before  the  death  angel  came,  God  stepped  in, 
as  he  did  when  Abraham  had  raised  his  knife  to 
slay  his  son,  and  manifested  his  jiower  and  extend- 
ed Ms  life  longer. 

We  see  that  sainted  Stephen  was  a  man  of  faith 
and  determination,  and  that  he  did  not  weaken 
because  the  people  did  not  believe  what  he  preached, 
and  because  of  his  faith  in  God,  and  the  power 
that  God  manifested  through  him,  the  old  murder- 
ous spirit  Avas  stirred  as  in  the  hearts  of  those  Avho 
crucified  or  Avas  in  favor  of  crucifying  the  Son  of 
God.  That  spirit  still  exists  today,  the  pure  gospel 
will  stir  it  when  it  is  preached,  and  the  x^ower  of 
God  is  manifested  in  healing  the  sick  and  all  man- 
ner of  diseases,  the  same  spirit  is  just  the  same 
today  and  it  aaHI  do  the  same  as  it  did  in  the  days 
of  Stephen  was  it  not  for  the  laws  of  our  land,  the 
true  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ  AAould  be  put  to 
death  today  the  same  as  Christ  and  Sainted  Ste- 
phen Avere.  But  Ave  see  when  Jesus  Christ  came  to 
die  he  loved  his  enemies  and  even  asks  the  Father 
to  forgive  them,  ( they  kncAA'  not  what  they  did ) ,  with 
his  last  breath,  and  it  was  only  God  that  could  do 
this.  We  know  that  it  Avas  only  the  God  in  man 
that   enabled   him   to   do  this,   the   God  in   Jesus 


now   I   GOT  FAlTli  149 

Christ  that  eiiabk'd  liim  to  indv  lor  those  who 
mocked  him.  We  tiiid  that  it  ^vas  the  same  God  in 
Stephen,  when  tliey  liad  gnashed  on  him  with  their 
teeth  and  tortnred  him,  he  still  continned  to  pray, 
and  when  he  lifted  liis  eyes  to  heaven  and  testified, 
as  we  see  in  Acts  7  :5(>,  ''And  said  Behold,  I  see  the 
heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of  man  standing  on 
the  riiiht  hand  of  God."  Also  veises  57,  5S,  51),  (JO. 
^*Then  they  cried  ont  with  a  lond  voice,  and  stopjx'd 
their  oars,  and  ran  upon  him  with  one  accord.  And 
cast  him  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned  him:  and  the 
■witnesses  laid  down  their  clothes  at  a  youni*  man's 
feet,  whose  name  Avas  Saul.  And  they  stoned  Ste- 
phen, calling  upon  God,  and  saying.  Lord,  -lesus, 
receive  my  spirit.  And  he  kneeled  dow^i,  and  cried 
with  a  loud  voice.  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their 
charge.  And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  fell  aslee})." 
God  has  given  us  an  examjde  or  rather  an  inci- 
dent of  the  man  who  followed  the  example  that 
Jesus  laid  down,  and  proves  to  us  here  that  if  we 
have  faith  sufficient  to  coiimiit  our  all  into  his 
hands  that  in  the  dying  lionr  we  can  have  the  same 
God  power  that  Christ  had,  that  will  enable  us,  like 
him,  with  our  last  breath  to  pray  for  those  who 
are  putting  us  to  death.  Stephen,  like  Christ,  had 
his  Avhole  heart,  mind  and  soul  in  the  woi-k.  He  did 
not  value  his  life  anything.  God  does  not  want  his 
ministers  to  value  their  lives  any  thing,  I  mean  in 
this  way,  he  wants  them  to  be  as  Stephen,  not  to 
lu)l(l  back  the  truth.  If  he  had  submitted  to  coni- 
pronuse  with  them  they  would  not  have  killed  him, 
if  he  had  turned  to  them,  tliey  would  not  have 
turned  against  him  ami  the  truth  which  he  was 
])i'ea(hing,  and  even  if  he  ha<l  cased  Uj)  on  it,  it  is 
probable  they  Avould  have  let  him  go,  but  lie  would 
not  do  it.  It  had  not  been  long  since  he  liad  had 
this  example  before  him  that  .Icsus  Christ  had  set 
for  all  preachers,  and  it  was  fresh  upon  his  heart 
an<l  mind. 


150  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

My  brother,  it  is  possible  for  the  ministers  of 
God  to  have  this,  the  example  of  Christ,  upon  their 
hearts  just  as  nmch  as  Stephen  had  then,  although 
more  than  1900  years  have  passed  away  since  this 
occurred.  Christ  is  the  same,  God's  power  will  do 
the  same  for  them. 

We  Avill  admit  that  there  are  many  who  claim 
to  be  called  to  the  ministry  and  desire  to  preach 
that  are  not  called — there  is  no  evidence  of  it.  Well, 
one  says,  how  can  you  tell  when  there  is  evidence?. 
How  did  people  know  that  Stephen  was  born  of 
God?  He  Avas  full  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Wlien  one  claims  to  be  called  of  God,  has  no  faith 
in  God,  there  is  no  evidence  of  his  call.  It  is  not 
possible  that  he  in  the  beginning  will  have  as  much 
faith  as  Stephen,  but  he  must  have  faith  to  believe 
that  God  will  do  what  he  has  promised.  Every  one 
does  not  have  good  delivery,  but  if  God  has  called, 
then  he  will  get  glory  out  of  their  ministry.  Others 
are  not  of  the  turn  to  win  the  people,  have  no 
energy  to  go  through  with  what  they  undertake, 
no  humbleness  of  heart,  and  meekness,  as  is  re- 
quired in  the  Bible,  such  are  certainly  not  called. 

But  it  is  not  possible  that  one  who  is  first  called 
to  the  ministry  will  show  all  the  Bible  qualifica- 
tions, but  it  is  an  evident  fact  that  there  will  be 
something  there  that  will  prove  to  God's  people 
that  they  are  called.  It  is  true  that  there  have 
been  many  mistakes  made,  and  those  that  God  has 
called  have  become  discouraged  and  given  up. 
There  have  been  other  mistakes  made,  and  those 
whom  God  has  not  called  have  been  held  up  and 
pushed  out  and  encouraged  and  by  so  doing  have 
reproached  the  cause  of  Christ. 

How  to  help  a  preacher  prove  his  call.  To  en- 
courage him,  tell  him  that  if  the  Lord  has  called 
him,  if  ho  will  live  humble  he  will  prove  it  to  him. 
Exhort  him  to  be  careful,  to  be  bold  and  firm  to  do 
what  the  Lord  lavs  on  him  to  do.     When  he  gets 


now   1  GOT  FAITH  151 

into  the  pulpit  give  liiui  your  eoutideiice,  give  him 
an  amen  occasionally.  Help  him  to  stand  against 
the  great  pressure  which  is  coming  against  him.  Ke- 
member  how  it  was  with  you  when  you  lirst  at- 
tempted to  do  anything  lor  the  Lord.  Kemember 
how  the  devil  accused  you  and  how  hard  it  was  for 
you  to  speak.  When  he  is  through  delivering  liis 
message,  take  him  in  private,  tell  liim  to  not  be  dis- 
couraged, to  not  expect  his  tirst  sermon  to  have  as 
much  effect  as  an  older  ndnister ;  to  keep  humble 
before  God  and  plead  with  God  to  know  his  will. 
After  a  few  experiences  of  this  kind,  if  none  of  the 
gifts  show  up,  it  would  be  a  good  deal  better  to 
exhort  them  to  go  slow,  and  to  listen  to  the  minis- 
ters and  to  not  crowd  themselves  out  too  much ; 
and  after  you  watch  them  and  see  that  no  gifts  are 
developing,  no  one  edified  by  their  preaching,  none 
convicted,  you  shotild  help  them  to  tmderstand  that 
they  have  made  a  ndstake  and  are  in  the  wrong 
place  in  the  body. 

How  (an  a  young  preacher  gain  the  victory? 
First,  tarry  before  God  and  be  sure  that  he  has 
called  you,  then  get  your  message  from  the  Lord. 
iS^ot  so  nitich  by  reading  what  some  one  else  has 
said,  neitJier  by  getting  from  some  sayings  that 
have  bcH^n  said  by  some  one  else,  but  by  following 
Jesus  through  the  wilderness.  Tarry  on  your  knees 
before  (Jod.  When  you  have  a  clear  evidence  lliat 
God  wants  you  to  deliver  a  message  take  tlie  juilpit 
witli  boldness,  as  much  so  as  you  would  if  you  were 
going  to  work  for  a  man  that  had  employed  you. 
Feel  and  realize  that  God  has  impressed  you,  or- 
dained you  ami  sen'  you  to  ])rea(  li  tliv  gosjx'l,  and 
has  now  given  you  a  message  to  delivei-.  As  you 
face  the  congregation  reiiiemlter  that  they  are  only 
clay,  human  beings  only,  as  you  are.  That  tliere  are 
many  dilTerent  of  opinion,  and  what  woubi  suit 
one  would  not  suit  anothei-.  and  do  not  try  to  jjlease 
any.   but    try   to   jjh'a.se   God.      Ha\«*   a    reltuke   in 


152  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

your  soul  against  the  devil,  keep  quiet,  do  not  get 
excited  and  repeat  your  words.  Be  sure  what  you 
speak  is  tlie  truth  and  stand  by  it.  Give  your  mes- 
sage Avith  the  authority  that  is  given  of  God.  Do 
not  drag.  When  God  is  through  with  you,  quit.  It 
matters  not  how  many  scriptures  you  have  marked 
off,  or  what  great  sermon  you  had  planned,  you 
quit  when  you  feel  God  has  taken  his  hand  off  of 
you,  and  you  have  delivered  your  message,  sit  down, 
though  you  have  not  said  many  words,  do  not 
repeat  what  you  have  said. 

I  have  seen  young  preachers,  not  only  young 
ones,  but  old  ones,  make  great  mistakes  by  reading 
over  a  great  list  of  scriptures,  and  lining  out  in 
their  minds  a  great  sermon  which  they  were  going 
to  preach,  and  when  they  took  the  pulpit  God  would 
probably  flash  something  on  their  mind  entirely 
different  from  what  they  had  planned,  and  they 
would  try  to  follow  their  plan  instead  of  doing 
what  the  Lord  wanted  them  to  and  they  would  make 
a  failure.  I  have  had  this  experience  myself.  I 
have  not  preached  the  gospel  nineteen  years  and 
made  no  failures. 

I  remember  the  first  sermon  that  I  preached. 
I  had  studied  the  Thirteenth  chapter  of  Hebrews 
and  I  had  in  mind  that  I  would  dwell  on  the  8th 
verse,  and  I  thought  that  I  was  going  to  preach 
quite  a  sermon.  As  I  took  the  pulpit  there  was 
another  text  impressed  upon  my  mincl,  and  another 
line  of  thought,  but  I  tried  to  hang  to  the  chapter 
that  I  had  studied  on,  and  give  the  thoughts  that 
I  had  in  my  mind  so  often.  The  result  was  I  walked 
back  and  forth  on  the  platform  about  forty-five 
minutes,  drank  something  like  a  quart  of  water  and 
sat  doAvn,  and  left  the  people  with  their  heads  hang- 
ing down.  This  was  a  sign  to  the  people  that  I  was 
not  called  to  preach,  and  made  many  of  them  think 
so.  But  it  was  good  for  me.  I  laid  on  my  face  and 
plead  with  Him  to  make  it  plain  to  me,  that  I  did 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  153. 

not  want  to  uuilce  any  mistakes.  I  would  dream 
that  I  saw  people  coming  in  wheel  chairs,  and  on 
crutches  and  canes,  and  those  having  all  manner 
of  sickness  were  brought  to  the  altar,  and  every 
one  Avas  healed,  and  these  were  the  evidences  that 
God  would  continue  to  give  me  in  dreams  in  times 
of  discouragement.  This  helped  me  to  stand 
against  the  opposition  of  the  opposing  powers  that 
came  against  me. 

Brother,  God  will  do  the  same  for  you,  if  you 
will  Jive  close  enough  to  him. 

How  a  young  preacher  will  make  a  failure.  Get 
hold  of  some  book  of  sermons,  take  down  the  scrip- 
tures and  decide  to  conmiit  to  memory  what  a 
preaclier  has  said,  and  get  up  and  decide  to  be  some 
one  else  in  the  jiulpit,  and  do  what  some  one  else 
has  done.  It  is  imi)()ssible  to  do  this  and  make  a 
success.  Be  natural,  be  yourself,  speak  with  your 
natural  voice  and  manner  of  language.  The  devil 
has  spoiled  many  preachers  that  God  could  have 
used,  trying  to  be  Sam  elones  or  some  one  else.  I 
do  not  mean  by  this  that  you  should  not  notice  or 
get  help  from  wliat  some  one  else  has  said,  but  that 
you  should  tarry  before  the  Lord  and  let  him  show 
you  where  to  use  it. 

When  the  older  pi-eachers  see  that  God  has  his 
liand  on  some  one  to  preach,  and  can  use  them,  and 
does  use  them  in  exhortation  and  delivering  the 
message,  it  is  not  light  for  them  to  hold  them 
down  and  to  really  look  u[)on  them  as  if  tliey  had 
made  a  failure,  and  try  to  impress  the  idea  upon 
them  that  they  had  not  done  very  well.  But  take 
them  to  themselves  and  get  into  conversation  Avith 
them.  Say,  now  you  did  well  Ibis  lime,  I  lie  Loi-d 
used  you,  but  be  careful,  and  always  remember 
that  it  is  God  that  is  doing  what  is  done  in  helping 
you  and  using  you  as  his  mouthpiece.  To  never 
take  any  pi-aise  to  yourself,  but  keep  humble  before 
(lod    and    give    liiin    the   ]»raise.      WIkmi    vou    have 


154  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

talked  to  a  young  preacher  this  way  when  he  goes 
to  preach  he  will  be  glad  to  see  you  sitting  in  the 
congregation.  If  you  have  made  fun  of  his  blun- 
ders and  mistakes,  and  put  in  your  time  telling  him 
where  he  misquoted  scripture,  and  got  it  in  the 
wrong  place,  and  how  he  repeated  words,  you  have 
done  him  no  good.  You  will  ruin  him.  When  he 
takes  the  pulpit  to  preach,  and  he  knows  that  you 
are  present  he  will  fear  to  fill  the  place  that  God 
has  called  him  to  fill,  and  make  such  blunders  that 
most  of  the  congregation,  if  not  all,  will  decide 
that  he  is  not  called,  and  is  out  of  God's  order. 

Let  us  be  careful  and  hold  up  those  that  God 
has  called,  and  if  we  And  one  that  is  mistaken,  and 
one  that  God  has  not  called,  show  him  his  place  in 
the  body,  and  be  careful  not  to  discourage  him,  and 
cause  him  to  go  baciv  into  the  world. 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  155 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


A  PREACHER  THAT  IS  IN  DEMAND 


"Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatso- 
ever I  have  commanded  you :  and  lo,  I  am  with  you 
alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  Amen." 
Matt  28 :20. 

Now  we  find  here  a  great  deal  said  in  meetings, 
camp-meetings,  ministers  meetings  and  other  places 
about  preachers  in  demand.  We  want  to  consider 
and  see,  if  we  can  find  out  what  will  make  a  preach- 
er be  in  denmnd. 

First  we  notice  from  the  above  text  that  Jesus 
commanded  them  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  in  this 
text  they  went  forth  and  preached  everywhere, 
the  Lord  working  with  them,  confirming  the  word 
with  signs  following. 

The  first  thing  that  God  wants  preachers  to  do 
is  to  go  to  preaching.  That  does  not  mean  they  are 
to  go  around  visiting  the  time  away,  fish  or  hunt 
or  lay  at  liome  because  he  has  no  calls.  My  experi- 
ence is  if  we  preach  and  teach  the  whole  word  of 
God,  live  before  God  so  that  the  signs  will  follow, 
3'ou  will  have  plenty  of  calls. 

I  have  seen  preachers  go  through  whole  camp- 
meetings  and  never  testify,  pray,  preacli  or  exhort. 
Never  see  them  pray  for  the  sick,  nor  talking  to 
encournge  any  one.  If  a  preacher  wants  to  be  in 
demand  and  have  people  interested  enough  to  call 
on  liim  for  help,  he  must  be  a  hel]).  If  you  go  to  a 
big  camp-meeting  and  they  do  not  find  out  that  you 
are  a  preacher  only  by  looking  on  the  ministers* 
list,  or  hearing  some  one  say  so,  it  is  not  likely 
that  the  strangcis  there  that  would  like  to  have  a 
meeting  will  call  on  you  to  come  to  their  ])lace  to 
hold  a  meeting  for  them,  or  if  they  were  sick  they 


ir)(>  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

will  not  call  on  you  to  pray  for  them,  or  help  them 
out  of  trouble.  It  is  true  where  there  are  several 
hundred  preachers  it  would  be  impossible  for  every 
minister  to  preach.  But  it  would  uot  be  impossible 
for  every  one  sometime  durin<^  the  meetin<4  to  tes- 
tify. To  tell  of  the  goodness  of  God,  aud  of  his 
power  to  save,  sanctify  and  heal.  Give  some  in- 
stances where  God  had  answered  prayer,  and  tell 
of  their  faith  in  God.  Testimony  similar  to  this 
in  a  congregation  of  one  or  two  thousand  people 
will  nuike  an  impression  upon  some  one  who  needs 
help.  It  will  not  be  long  before  someone  will  come 
to  you  asking  for  prayer  or  for  counsel  or  some 
help  in  some  Avay.  By  the  time  you  get  through 
with  them  there  will  be  some  one  else.  Before  you 
leave  that  camp-meeting  you  will  have  a  number  of 
invitations  to  go  to  different  places. 

If  you  fill  calls  and  preach  the  whole  word  of 
God,  hold  against  compromise  and  hold  up  Christ, 
pray  for  the  sick,  God  will  confirm  the  word  with 
the  manifestations  of  his  power  with  the  signs  fol- 
lowing and  heal  the  sick,  you  will  have  many  calls. 
In  this  way  the  people  will  become  acquainted  with 
you,  and  Avhen  you  get  into  a  congregation  you  will 
always  find  people  wanting  help  and  you  need  never 
he  idle. 

Since  the  beginning  of  my  ministry  I  have  not 
had  nuuh  idle  time  in  protracted  meetings  or  camp- 
meetings.  The  seven  years  I  preached  before  I  met 
the  saints,  my  time  was  all  put  in  helping  suffering 
and  accused  humanity  and  those  who  were  in 
trouble,  and  did  not  know  the  way  out.  When  I 
would  preach  the  word  of  God  I  would  refer  to  the 
work  that  I  had  witnessed  God  do.  This  would 
cause  some  one  in  the  congregation  to  grasp  faith, 
and  believe  that  there  was  a  chance  for  them.  If 
they  did  not  have  a  chance  to  speak  to  me  I  would 
receive  letters  from  them. 

There  is  no  time  in  my  ministry  where  I  have 


J  low   I  GOT   FAITH  157 

preached  in  a  large  congregation  but  what  as  soon 
as  meeting  was  over  some  one  was  wanting  help. 
If  1  would  leave  there  1  would  receive  letters  fioni 
different  parties  stating  their  condition,  lecjuesting 
prayer,  and  ofttimes  want  an  anointed  liandker- 
chief. 

If  you  do  not  tell  the  people  that  God  will 
answer  prayer  and  that  you  have  witnessed  prayer 
answered,  they  will  not  know  what  your  faith  is. 
If  you  go  to  meeting  and  never  seem  to  take  any 
interest  in  sick  and  sufl'eriiig  liunianity,  and  those 
"who  are  devil  possessed,  or  those  who  are  cast  down 
or  discouraged,  those  who  are  in  this  condition  will 
not  likely  want  to  call  on  you  for  help. 

I  have  known  in  time  past  of  people  becoming 
offended  because  certain  parties  wouUl  be  called  on 
to  pray  for  the  people  and  to  help  in  private  coun- 
sel, and  for  hel])  in  different  ways,  and  those  that 
were  older  and  had  been  in  the  ministry  longer 
would  be  ignored  and  passed  l)y  to  get  to  some  one 
that  had  not  been  in  the  ndnistry  so  long.  There 
is  a  cause  for  this.  It  seems  to  me  that  there  was 
a  reason  for  Jesus  sending  Mary  Magdalene  with 
his  first  message  after  he  arose  from  the  tomb.  It 
seems  plain  to  me  why  he  sent  her.  She  was  closest 
to  him,  she  Avas  looking  after  him. 

Brother,  sister,  if  you  want  CJod  to  give  you  a 
message  you  stay  close  to  him.  When  he  gives  y«)U 
a  message  deliver  it.  and  some  one  will  get  a  bene- 
fit. Others  will  lind  (tut  your  faith,  your  calling, 
and  they  will  want  help.  I  have  known  ])reachers 
for  years,  and  met  rhein  in  meetings,  frequently  in 
camp-meetings,  Assembly  meetings,  where  there 
were  but  few  preaehers,  and  I  have  never  heard 
them  preach.  1  have  seen  their  rejmrts  through 
the  ])aper  stating  that  they  were  ready  to  fill  any 
call.  1  heal-  of  I  hem  occasionally  having  a  job  of 
work  l)ecause  of  linancial  emban-asment.  1  do  not 
believe  there  is  anv   need,  or  that   it   was  ever  in- 


158  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

tended  by  God  himself  for  a  man  or  woman  that  he 
laid  his  hand  on  to  preach  the  gospel  to  lay  down 
the  Bible  and  go  out  and  hunt  a  job  of  work  to 
supply  their  needs. 

My  experience  is  if  we  preach  the  gospel,  teach 
the  Avliole  Avord  of  God,  fill  our  place  in  the  body, 
and  the  calling  God  has  given  us,  He  will  make  a 
way  where  there  is  no  way,  will  provide  such  things 
as  we  stand  in  need  of. 

If  the  preacher  takes  the  pulpit  and  tells  about 
the  customs  of  the  country,  the  change  in  the  tiyies 
an  things  that  concern  the  world,  gives  a  few  his- 
torical incidents,  makes  most  of  his  sermon  out  of 
such  things  as  that,  never  tells  how  God  saves  from 
sin,  sanctifies  and  keeps,  heals  all  manner  of  sick- 
ness and  diseases,  opens  the  blind  eyes,  unstops  the 
deaf  ears,  makes  the  dumb  to  speak  and  raises  the 
dead,  he  is  not  going  to  get  many  calls  after  the 
meeting  is  over. 

If  you  want  to  be  in  demand  prove  by  your 
preaching  and  your  testimony  and  your  life  that 
God  is  using  you.  That  your  time  is  taken  up  with, 
the  work  of  God,  and  that  your  desire  is  to  be  an 
honor  to  God  and  a  blessing  to  humanity.  Not 
simply  tell  of  Avhat  God  has  promised  to  do  and 
ncA'er  have  any  evidence  to  give  of  what  he  has 
done  in  your  ministry,  but  have  some  incidents  that 
you  can  relate  that  Avill  interest  the  i)eople  who  are 
in  need  of  some  help  and  cause  them  to  call  on  you 
for  help.  Do  not  think  that  you  can  do  this  and 
not  be  condemned  by  some.  For  possibly  in  a  con- 
gregation of  one  or  tAvo  thousand  people,  one  fourth, 
of  the  congregation  might  condemn  you,  and  say 
that  you  are  advertising  yourself,  while  possibly 
one  fourth  or  one  half  of  that  congregation  Avill  be 
edified  and  encouraged,  and  aaHI  see  a  AA'ay  out  of 
the  trouble  they  are  in,  or  the  affliction  from  AAiiich 
they  are  suffering.  You  cannot  please  CA'ery  one,  do 
not  think  of  that,    l^ut  if  you  please  God,  you  will 


HOW    I  GOT   FAITH  159 

please  hi.s  people,  i merest  siiiueis  and  eneourage 
people  that  are  needing  help. 

Xo  doubt  when  the  Apostles  Peter  and  John 
"were  instruments  in  (lod's  hands  in  healing  the 
man  at  the  gate  of  the  temple,  there  was  a  great 
multitude  of  people  witnessed  that.  Probably  there 
were  men  that  eondennied  them  then,  and  woidd 
not  believe  that  it  was  the  work  of  God,  and  there 
■were  otheis  that  became  interested  abotit  their  own 
souls  and  their  condition.  But  we  find  by  the  nura- 
cle  wliich  (lod  jH'rformed,  and  by  their  trueness  to 
God  they  would  not  take  any  honor  to  themselves 
but  gave  God  the  lionor  and  went  to  jail,  rather 
than  to  do  otherwise,  and  there  were  five  thousand 
brought  to  salvation. 

So  in  the  ministry  of  Paul.  AVe  find  that  he 
stood  steadfast  in  the  doctrine,  taught  the  whole 
word  of  God,  and  God  manifested  his  power  through 
him,  and  by  him  being  true,  teaching  the  whole 
word  of  God,  many  condemned  him,  tried  to  put 
him  to  death,  ofttimes  i)ut  him  in  prison.  He  was 
scourged  fre(|uently,  but  in  spite  of  all  this,  there 
were  soids  wlio  believed,  got  salvation  and  were 
healed,  and  Ave  find  from  the  rea<ling  of  his  writ- 
ings he  was  a  prea<her  in  demand.  One  who  wai^ 
always  ready  1o  hel|»  people  and  knew  of  some  one 
wanting  hel]). 

Sainted  Stephen  was  one  Avho  l)y  his  I  idleness 
and  faithfulness  to  Go<l  caused  (Jod  to  place  confi- 
dence in  1dm  and  perform  miracles  thi-ough  him 
that  attracted  the  attention  of  the  pe()])le.  While 
it  might  look  to  some  that  he  was  foolish  to  staiul 
before  that  mol>  in  defense  of  the  gospel,  when  he 
saAV  that  it  was  death.  But  Ave  see  that  God  got 
glory  otit  of  it.  No  doubt  it  Avas  through  the  testi- 
mony and  death  of  sainted,  Stephen  that  brought 
Saul  of  Tarsus  to  salvation.  lie  took  the  ]>la<('  of 
Ste])hen.  carried  on  t  lie  Avoi-k  of  (!od  and  ]»reached 
the  gosi>el  as  Cluisi   di<l.     (Jod  wanis  inoic  pieach- 


160  HOW   1  GUT  FAITH 

ers  Avitli  boldness,  having  it  liist  settled  in  their 
hearts  before  they  preach  their  first  sermon  that 
God  has  called  them  to  preach.  Then  should  the 
devil  get  the  advantage  of  them  and  cause  them  to 
make  a  failure,  the  people  might  scoff  and  scorn 
them,  but  they  would  know  that  God's  hand  was  on 
them,  and  that  they  were  not  mistaken,  and  be  more 
determined  to  fill  their  place  in  the  body,  and  lay  on 
their  face  before  God  for  wisdom  and  power  to 
enable  them  to  be  better  qualified  to  preach  the 
next  sermon. 

Frequently  in  my  ministry  I  have  had  incidents 
to  take  place  in  the  congregation  that  I  believe  was 
the  work  of  God  to  advertise  his  power,  and  had  I 
given  way  to  the  impressions  that  came  to  me  from 
the  devil  and  from  what  I  supposed  the  people 
would  say,  God  could  have  received  no  glory  out 
of  it.  One  time  when  preaching  in  a  camp-meeting 
there  was  a  woman  to  my  right  began  to  scream, 
and  some  thought  it  was  joy,  but  I  could  realize 
that  it  was  devil  possession.  The  spirit  of  God 
impressed  me  to  go  lay  hands  on  her.  Some  people 
seemed  to  be  ready  to  join  iii  with  her  as  a  shout, 
but  I  rebuked  her,  and  this  made  the  devil  very 
angry,  and  T  left  the  pulpit  and  crowded  my  way 
through  the  congregation  to  her,  and  laid  my  hands 
on  her  and  the  devil  threw  her.  A  number  that 
were  around  her  were  making  a  profession,  but  had 
no  power  with  God,  laid  hands  on  with  me.  But 
the  devil  charged  worse,  and  I  asked  them  to  stand 
back  and  give  room  to  let  others  get  there  that 
could  agree  with  me  that  God  would  deliver  her, 
and  God  did  deliver  her.  This  convinced  some, 
Avhile  a  gieat  many  told  different  things  about  it. 
Some  said  it  was  a  terrible  thing  to  expose  any  one 
that  way.  Others  said  that  she  had  nervous  spells, 
and  she  was  subject  to  them:  others  said  different 
things,  but  she  herself  came  back  and  got  saved, 
and  testified  that  it  was  the  first  time  that  she  had 


now  1  (;()T  FAITH  1<;1 

ever  had  ajiy  experience  oj'  that  kind.  Thai  slie 
had  been  ^oing  against  ]iii,lil.  and  l»ad  faih'd  to 
Avalk  in  llic  iiiilit  of  the  uospcl.  and  the  devil  took 
possession  of  her.  This  was  before  a  larj^e  con- 
gregation, and  quite  a  number  saw  themselves  by 
seeing  what  the  devil  had  done  for  licr,  and  liow 
God  delivered  hei-,  and  they  became  aJai-nied  about 
theii'  condition  and  got  i-iglit  witli  God.  ^'ow  tliey 
did  not  go  to  the  preachers  or  the  professors  that 
opposed  this  to  get  Jight,  and  to  get  right  with  God, 
but  they  came  to  tlie  ones  who  believed,  and  Avho 
God  used  to  deliver  the  other  woman. 

If  you  want  to  be  a  preacher  in  demand  do  not 
stand  back  in  such  cases  as  the  above  and  make  i-e- 
niarks  that  are  calculated  to  turn  people  against 
the  Avork  of  God.  or  to  east  reflection  upon  the 
preacher  that  God  uses  to  do  such  work.  IJut  you 
lay  on  your  face  before  God  to  find  out  what  he 
Iujs  called  yoii  to  do. 

There  is  a  great  misunderstanding  in  the  ()i)in- 
ion  of  some  as  to  Avliat  the  call  of  God  is,  some 
think  there  is  a  difference  in  the  call  to  the  min- 
istry. I  believe  that  every  man  or  woman  that  God 
lays  his  hand  on  to  ])i-each  the  gos])el  he  comnus- 
sions  alike.  He  gives  them  power  over  e\T.l  spirits 
and  diseases  and  gives  them  a  gift  that  enables 
them,  if  cultivated,  to  fill  their  places  in  the  min- 
istry. Some  have  au  idea  that  God  calls  sime  min- 
ist(;i's  to  pray  for  the  sick  and  to  have  success  in 
healing,  while  othe  *s  do  not  have  these  gifts. 

He  did  not  say  t ,-  the  twelve  in  the  Tenth  Chap- 
ter of  ]N[atthew  that  he  gave  some  power  against 
unclean  spirits,  to  cast  them  out  and  to  heal  the 
sick,  and  to  others  to  go  preach.  God  expects  us 
to  preach  the  Avhole  word,  as  he  said  in  ^NFatthew 
28:20.  "Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  what- 
soevei"  T  have  commanded  yon:  and,  lo,  T  am  Aviih 
you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  Amen." 
He  did  not  promise  to  be  with  them  if  they  would 


162  now  1  GOT  FAITH 

preach  part  of  it,  God  does  not  impress  a  man  to 
preach  something  that  he  cannot  practice,  and  if 
a  man  does  not  practice  a  thing  he  is  not  liable  to 
preach  it  very  strong.  For  that  reason  yon  can 
attend  revival  meetings  held  by  some  parties  and 
never  hear  a  sermon  on  divine  healing,  and  never 
see  the  altar  presented  for  those  Avho  want  to  be 
healed.  And  ofttimes  when  people  present  them- 
selves for  healing  they  are  told  that  they  are  not 
ready  to  be  healed,  without  any  examination  or 
investigation,  they  send  them  aAva}'. 

I  view  it  that  God  calls  preachers  and  sends 
them  to  be  a  blessing  to  humanity.  And  when  one 
comes  for  healing,  if  you  have  any  doubt  about 
them  being  ready,  to  investigate  their  case.  In 
order  to  be  able  to  investigate  you  have  to  have 
some  experience  yourself.  It  is  hard  to  tell  some 
one  how  to  do  a  thing  wiien  you  do  not  know  your- 
self. If  you  do  not  have  faith  to  trust  God  for 
your  support  and  trust  your  body  in  his  hands  you 
could  not  well  teach  some  one  else  how  to  do  it. 

To  make  a  preacher  in  demand  you  have  to 
have  faith  in  God  to  commit  all  into  his  hands.  To 
determine  in  your  heart  that  by  the  grace  of  God 
you  will  preach  the  gospel,  and  fill  your  place  in 
the  ministry  if  you  starve.  There  have  been  many 
times  in  my  life  that  the  devil  has  thrown  starva- 
tion before  me  and  my  family,  and  it  seemed  that 
every  avenue  was  closed  and  no  way  out,  and  that 
I  was  bound  to  make  a  surrender,  looking  at  it 
from  a  human  standpoint.  But  remembering  the 
covenant  that  I  made  mth  God,  I  tarried  before 
him  until  I  could  see  a  Avay  where  there  was  no 
way  before. 

There  is  an  incident  comes  to  my  mind.  One 
time  when  preaching  in  a  city  I  had  my  fajiiily  vrith. 
me.  also  another  man.  I  was  exhorted  not  to  preach 
so  radical,  to  not  expose  hypocracy,  to  keep  still  on 
the  church,  and  some  did  not  want  di^^ne  healing 


now  I  (JOT  1 A  IT  1 1  103 

preached,  and  did  not  believe  in  sanctification,  and 
in  fact  if  1  had  listened  to  them  all  1  conld  not 
have  preached  mucli  of  anything.  They  shut  the 
doors  against  us,  and  we  were  there  in  a  strange 
place  without  any  money  or  any  prospect  of  any. 
But  I  ueAer  weakeJied.  I  tarried  before  God  for 
wisdom  to  preach  it  straighter,  if  possible.  I  came 
in  one  day  and  picked  up  my  mail  that  was  laid 
on  my  table,  and  the  first  letter  I  opened  had  live 
dollars  in  it.  As  I  sat  there  reading  my  letters,  a 
man  step^ted  to  the  door,  and  asked  for  Preacher 
Brown.  1  infoi-med  him  that  my  name  Ava.^  Brown, 
and  invited  him  in,  and  he  began  to  relare  his  ex- 
periences and  his  condition.  How  he  had  learned 
of  me,  and  Iioav  he  had  come  to  see  me,  and  that  he 
Avanted  salvation  and  healing.  I  prayed  for  him 
and  ( lod  healed  him  instantly. 

This  convinced  1dm  of  something  that  he  had 
been  puzzled  over  for  a  long  time.  He  said  that 
he  had  a  sister  in  the  lunatic  asylum,  liad  l)een 
thcM'e  for  fifteen  years,  and  he  Avas  iminessed  to 
bring  her  to  Avhere  I  Avas  for  me  to  pray  for  her.  I 
told  him  that  if  he  had  faith  to  believe  that  God 
Avould  heal  her  Avhen  I  prayed  for  her,  that  I  be- 
lieved that  God  had  his  hand  on  him,  and  if  he 
AA'ould  believe  his  sister  Avould  be  healed  I  Avould 
pray  for  her  Avith  as  much  faith  as  I  Avould  for  a 
case  of  headache. 

He  Avent  aAvay  and  returned  Avith  her.  Tt  Avas 
a  clear  case  of  devil  possession.  She  Avas  delivered, 
and  returned  home  AAdth  him  and  has  been  out  of 
the  asylum  for  years.  I  saAv  him  at  the  Anderson 
cami)-mee1ing  last  Tune.  He  told  me  that  she  had 
died.  Xot  fi'om  the  affliction  from  which  sh<>  had 
been  healed — she  Avas  healed  of  that  and  it  did  not 
return — but  she  got  sick  and  died  the  same  as  any 
one.  some  ten  years  after  she  AA'as  healed. 

He  gaA'e  me  five  dollars  Avhen  he  first  came. 
When  he  returned  with  his  sisicr  he  ujnc  me  fwcn- 


1()4  now   1  GOT  FAITH 

ty  dollars  more,  which  enabled  me  to  go  out  of  that 
city  to  another  place  to  where  tliey  would  hear  the 
gospel. 

Had  I  let  down  Avhen  the  devil  first  turned  the 
people  against  me,  and  began  to  look  for  work,  God 
would  never  have  sent  that  man  there  to  be  healed. 
Bu::  I  was  there  praying  for  God  to  make  a  way. 
I  did  not  choose  the  way,  and  God  moved  on  that 
man's  heart  many  miles  away  from  there  in  another 
state,  just  by  hearing  the  testimony  of  a  woman 
that  had  heard  me  preach,  and  saw  me  pray  for  the 
sick. 

If  you  want  to  be  a  preacher  in  demand,  teach 
the  whole  w^ord  of  God,  and  practice  it.  Keep  your- 
self in  such  a  position  that  God  can  use  you  to 
confirm  the  w^ord  Avith  signs  following,  and  you  will 
have  plenty  of  calls  and  plenty  to  do.  Do  not  get 
scared  because  your  provisions  give  out.  1  remem- 
ber a  number  of  times  that  we  have  eaten  the  last 
bite  we  had  in  the  house,  and  did  not  know  where 
the  next  meal  was  coming  from.  My  wife  and  chil- 
dren Avould  agree  with  me  in  prayer  and  God  would 
provide  provision  for  the  next  meal,  and  Ave  never 
suffered.  My  wife  is  still  living  and  my  children 
are  groAvn,  and  I  am  Avilling  for  you  to  get  their 
testimony  if  there  was  ever  a  time  that  they  suf- 
fered for  something  to  eat,  and  could  not  get  it. 

I  gave  the  deAdl  to  understand  when  I  first 
started  to  preach  that  I  had  given  up  making  mon- 
ey, and  doing  his  Avork,  and  had  quit  working  on  the 
farm  in  order  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  that  I  was 
going  to  preach.  At  different  times  I  gaA'e  him  to 
understand  that  if  my  family  and  myself  all  starved 
that  T  would  preach  the  gospel  as  long  as  I  liA'ed. 

God  gave  us  this  example  in  the  Fourth  Chap- 
ter of  Matthew.  Jesus  Avould  not  bow  down  to  the 
deAil,  and  God  proA^ided  for  him  through  the  angels. 
If  we  AA^ill  preach  the  gospel,  teaching  the  whole 
Avord  of  God,  and  fill  our  place  in  the  ministry,  He 


.  now  1  (;0T  FAITJI  1G5 

will  provide  for  us.  If  you  do  not  thiuk  that  your 
couuuission  reaches  as  far  as  that  of  some  otlier 
minister,  and  that  you  are  not  called  and  sent  to 
])('  a  minister  like  Paul  and  the  other  Apostles  for 
Avliom  God  answered  their  prayers  and  lieal(?d  I  lie 
sick,  you  go  to  the  wilderness  in  secret  with.  God 
and  tarry  there,  and  see  if  you  can  find  any  place 
that  God  has  ever  made  any  difference.  Stay  there 
until  you  get  thoroughly  convinced  that  you  have 
a  call  from  God  and  get  so  well  acquainted  with, 
him  that  you  can  stand  on  his  promises.  And 
though  you  get  hungry,  and  your  clothes  get  worn 
you  will  find  out  that  God  will  make  a  way  for  you 
to  have  the  necessities  of  life,  and  make  you  a  min- 
ister in  demand.  One  who  will  always  have  some- 
thing to  do. 

He  said  call  for  the  elders  of  the  church.  He 
tells  the  people  to  do  this :  "Is  any  sick  among  you 
let  him  call  for  the  elders  of  the  church;  and  let 
them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord:  And  the  prayer  of  faith  shall 
save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up."^ 
If  you  are  called  to  preach  the  gospel,  you  are  an 
elder  of  the  church,  and  God  wants  you  qualified 
to  fill  that  place.  You  can  only  get  your  qualifi- 
cations from  lliiii.  Do  not  let  the  doctrines  of  men 
guide  you,  or  the  promises  of  man.  Take  a  stand 
against  the  devil,  and  claim  the  gifts  that  God  has 
given  you.  God  will  not  manifest  a  gift  through 
you  if  you  do  not  cultivate  it.  God  has  the  material 
in  every  [)reacher  that  he  has  called  to  fill  the  place 
of  a  bible  minister.  He  has  shown  in  the  Fourth 
Ghai)ter  of  Matthew  how  the  preacher  can  come 
in  ]»ossession  of  knowledge  to  use  those  gifts  and 
talents  that  he  has,  and  if  he  will  tarry  there  and 
follow  the  impressions  that  the  Holy  Spirit  gives 
him  he  will  make  a  success  and  be  a  preacher  in 
demand. 

If  when  the  spirit  of  God  tries  to  teach  him,  he 


100  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

grieves  His  spirit  and  accepts  the  opinions  of  men, 
and  thinks  of  what  some  one  might  say  in  fear  of 
being  called  fanatical,  and  will  refnse  to  do  Avhat 
God  says,  he  Avill  make  a  preacher  looking  for  a 
job  of  work,  to  get  means  to  provide  for  his  needs. 
May  God  bless  this  little  message  and  make  it 
a  blessing  to  those  who  feel  that  God  has  his  hand 
on  them  to  preach  the  gospel.  God  needs  preach- 
ers in  demand.  The  world  is  crying  for  the  gospel. 
God's  great  heart  is  grieved  because  djdng  men  and 
women  are  going  to  eternity  without  God  and  with- 
out hope,  never  hearing  the  gospel  preached  in  its 
purity;  and  going  to  their  graves  without  being 
saved  because  they  do  not  know"  how  to  trust  God. 
Get  busy,  turn  loose  the  world.  Get  your  mind  on 
Christ,  and  resolve  in  your  heart  that  you  will  be 
a  preacher  in  demand. 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  1G7 


CHA1»TEK  XV. 


HEALED  OF  A  RATTLESNAKE  BITE 


Wednesday  eve,  July  9th,  1913,  while  we  were 
at  meeting',  six  miles  from  home,  we  received  a 
telephone  message  that  our  little  four-year-old 
Ruth  (whom  we  had  left  at  home  with  the  older 
children)  had  been  bitten  by  a  rattlesnake.  As 
soon  as  we  received  the  message  (which  was  not 
until  about  one  and  a  lialf  hours  after  she  was  bit- 
ten) the  saints  agreed  Avith  us  in  prayer,  claiming 
the  promise.  ("They  shall  take  up  serpents;  and 
if  thev  drink  anv  deadlv  thing  it  shall  not  hurt 
tliem.'"'     Mark  1(>':18). 

In  the  meantime  our  oldest  boy  had  gone  to  a 
neighbor's  house  one  mile  away  to  phone  us.  They 
urged  him  to  telephone  for  a  doctor,  as  she  would 
likely  be  dead  before  we  could  get  there.  But  as  we 
have  trusted  the  Lord  for  healing  for  nearly  eight- 
een years,  the  children,  instead  of  sending  for  a 
doctor,  got  down  on  their  knees  and  asked  tlie  Lord 
to  heal  their  little  sister.  When  we  reached  home 
we  found  that  the  Lord  h;id  heard  and  answered 
prayer,  as  she  was  not  suffering  at  all,  only  (piite 
sick  and  constantly  asking  for  water.  Our  elder, 
Bi-other  Willis  M.  Brown,  and  Sister  Lillian  Brown 
came  home  with  us. 

We  prayed  nearly  all  night,  and  the  Lord  re- 
warded us  by  giving  her  a  good  night's  rest.  Still, 
by  morning  her  limb  was  badly  swollen  and  she  was 
very  sick,  although  not  in  any  ])ain,  only  as  we 
wonld  move  hei'.  She  continued  this  way  until 
Saturday  morning,  when  the  Lord  wonderfully 
witiK^SRcd  to  hei"  healing  by  raising  her  up  so  she 
walked  a  few  stops,  and  sat  at  the  tal)le  and  ate  a 
good  breakfast  (The  first  that  she  had  eaten)  and 


1()<S  now    I   GOT  FAITH 

walked  )>a(k  to  Uic  bed  and  (diinbed  upon  it,  her 
limb  swollen  to  twice  its  natural  size  and  blaek  to 
her  body.  Aft(u-  tliis  she  inipi-oved  rapidly  until  on 
on  Monday,  Avhen  slie  over  ate,  and  Tuesday  Utiug 
a  V(;ry  hot  day  she  felt  quite  badly,  and  the  poison 
spread  very  rapidly,  going  nearly  all  over  her  body. 

We  could  not  understand  at  the  time  wiiy  the 
Lord  pei'mitted  this,  but  as  there  were  unbelievers 
in  to  see  her  this  day  in  such  a  condition  and  then 
saw  her  completely  .healed  in  so  short  a  time,  the 
Lord  soon  showed  us  that  he  would  get  glory  out 
of  letting  the  poison  go  over  her  body  as  it  did. 

On  Saturday  after  this  (less  than  two  w^eeks 
after  she  was  bitten) ,  she  rode  to  town,  five  and  one 
half  miles.  A  lady,  an  unbeliever,  who  had  been 
a  nurse,  saw  her  this  day  and  after  examining  her 
closely  and  seeing  her  discolored  clear  to  her  neck, 
said  she  looked  like  she  was  mortif}dng.  In  a  few 
days  the  same  lady  saw  her  again  greatly  improved, 
^nd  then  in  a  short  time  saw  her  completely  healed. 
It  Avas  a  wonder  to  her  that  it  did  not  even  break 
out  anywhere,  not  even  making  the  foot  sore  where 
it  Avas  bitten.  She  said  it  was  truly  remarkable 
and  since  has  told  others  that  there  was  surely 
something  done. 

All  Praise  and  Glory  be  to  our  God,  "Who  for- 
giveth  all  our  iniquities,  Avho  healeth  all  our  dis- 
eases." In  less  than  three  weeks  after  she  was 
bitten  she  went  to  meeting  and  Avalked  into  the 
house,  a  living  witness  to  God's  power  to  heal,  even 
1  he  bite  of  a  poisonous  serpent. 

One  lady  asked  a  doctor  in  town  what  he 
thought  was  the  reason  she  got  well  so  soon,  and  he 
said  it  was  because  she  had  shoes  and  stockings 
on  and  the  poison  did  not  go  into  the  system,  but 
^le  had  no  stockings  on,  only  had  on  little  sandals 
and  the  snake  bit  between  the  straps  and  unbe- 
lievers who  saw  her  with  the  poison  nearly  all  over 
the  body  know  how  badly  she  was  poisoned  and 


HOW    1  COT  FAITH  1G9 

were  made  to  admit  that  only  a  miracle  saved  her. 
Some  who  read  this  may  question  if  it  was  really 
a  rattlesnake.  I  will  say  for  the  benefit  of  such, 
that  her  brother  and  sister,  fourteen  and  twelve 
years  old,  saw  her  standing-  on  the  snake,  and  the 
boy  killed  it  and  took  the  rattles  off. 

May  the  Lord  bless  this  for  the  sake  of  honest 
souls,  is  our  prayer. 

Yours  in  Jesus, 
Henry  Henrichs  and  Wife. 

Roswell.  X.  Mex. 


170  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTER  X\  I. 


While  praying  for  the  sick  on  the  camp-ground 
at  Anderson,  Indiana,  June,  1913,  I  saw  a  boy 
pusliing  a  \vhe(d  chair  across  the  rough  ground 
some  distance  away  with  a  woman  in  it,  coming 
in  the  direction  where  I  was.  The  ground  was 
rough,  and  he  was  coming  fast  and  it  was  rocking 
the  Avoman  about  in  the  chair.  As  I  looked  at  her 
it  touched  my  heart  and  brought  tears  to  my  eyes, 
and  I  felt  impressed  to  meet  them.  As  I  started 
some  one  said  "Pray  for  me  before  you  go."  I  did 
so,  and  by  the  time  I  had  prayed  for  the  invididual 
the  woman  was  sitting  in  her  chair  close  to  where 
I  was  standing.  I  asked  her  what  she  wanted.  She 
said  she  wanted  to  be  healed.  I  said,  "Do  you  be- 
lieve that  God  will  heal  you?"  She  said,  "I  know 
he  Mill."  I  said,  "When  I  pray  for  you,  will  you 
jump  out  of  your  chair  in  the  name  of  Jesus?"  She 
said  she  would.  When  I  prayed  for  her  she  sprang 
out  of  the  chair  on  her  feet  and  began  to  walk.  She 
walked  for  some  distance,  and  she  was  given  her 
chair  to  sit  down  to  rest,  and  she  sat  there  and 
testified  to  a  great  number  of  people  how  she  had 
not  walked  for  over  nine  years,  and  that  she  had 
not  been  able  to  get  out  of  her  chair  for  years  and 
that  God  had  healed  her.  By  holding  to  some 
one  else  she  walked  from  there  to  her  tent  which 
was  some  distance  away,  and  continued  walking 
during  the  meeting. 

I  have  received  a  letter  from  her  since  she  reach- 
ed home  that  she  was  still  walking,  but  not  com- 
pletely healed. 

There  are  a  great  many  like  my  niece  was,  she 
was  a  Methodist,  and  did  not  believe  that  God 
would  heal  in  answer  to  prayer.  While  in  company 
with  me  I  prayed  for  a  young  man  that  had  an 


J  low  1  GOT  FAITH  17L 

abcess  in  liis  side  aihl  was  paralyzed  in  his  limb  and 
v.as  going  on  crutches.  He  threw  his  crutches  down 
and  leaped  and  jumped  and  rejoiced,  got  into  a 
buggy  with  me  and  went  to  meeting,  a  distance  of 
several  miles.  When  he  arose  to  testify  he  did  not 
stand  straight,  but  bent  over  a  little,  on  account  of 
the  crookedness  of  his  side.  After  meeting  my  niece 
came  to  me  and  said  noAV  if  God  healed  that  man 
why  didn't  he  straighten  up.  "O,"  1  said,  ''do  you 
doubt  God  healing  him,  after  knowing  that  he  could 
not  use  that  limb,  and  seeing  him  walk  after  he  had 
been  prayed  for.  '^O,'*  she  said,  '"bur  he  don't 
stranghtcn  up."*  I  told  her  that  Jesus  says,  "As 
your  faith  is  so  be  it  unto  you"  and  he  got  all  that 
his  faith  took  in.  So  it  was  with  this  woman,  sfie 
got  all  that  her  faith  took  in.  If  she  had  had  faith 
for  complete  healing  she  would  have  received  com- 
plete healing.  But  as  her  faith  did  not  reach  that 
point,  she  only  got  faith  to  get  out  of  her  chair  and 
walk.  I  left  the  camp  ground  before  the  meeting 
was  over,  but  I  am  told  by  a  brother  Avho  is  here 
now  that  he  saw  her  walking  aAvay  from  the  camp 
ground  after  the  meeting  closed.  She  is  ]\rrs.  Willis 
R.  BradshaAv,  Beaver  Falls,  Penn. 

At  the  same  stump  Avhere  I  was  praying  for  the 
afflicted  when  she  came  uj),  there  was  a  man  par- 
tially paralyzed  who  was  helped  there  and  sat  on 
the  stump.  He  said  that  he  had  been  afflicted  for 
some  time  and  could  not  walk  alone.  I  ask(Ml  hin; 
if  he  believed  that  God  would  heal  him  if  I  would 
pray  for  him.  He  said  he  did.  I  said  to  him,  "When 
I  pray  for  you  and  I  say  'amen,'  will  you  jump  up 
and  run  in  the  name  of  Jesus?"  Ho  said  lie  would. 
As  I  said  "Amen"  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  ran  out 
through  the  crowd  and  ran  a  few  steps,  when, 
crossing  a  rough  wagon  road  he  fell.  I  started  to 
him.  Some  one  caught  hold  of  me  and  asked  me  to 
pray  for  them,  and  after  I  ])i'ayed  for  them  I  saw 
the  man  running  up  the  road  shouting  aiid  rcjoic- 


172  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

iiig.  He  ran  up  and  down  the  road,  until  the  jjeoplc 
gathered  around  him  until  he  had  no  room  to  run, 
and  I  could  liear  hini  still  shouting  and  praising 
the  Lord. 

Another  incident  which  took  place  near  the  same 
time  w^as  a  lady  who  came  on  crutches,  and  said  she 
had  not  a\  alked  Avithout  crutches  for  nineteen  j^ears. 
I  asked  her  if  she  believed  God  would  heal  her.  She 
said  she  did.  I  asked  her  the  same  question,  would 
she  jump  up  and  run  when  I  prayed  for  her  and 
said  ''Amen."  She  said  she  would  try,  I  said,  ''Not 
try,  Avill  you  do  it  in  the  name  of  Jesus?''  She  said 
she  would.  She  sat  down  on  the  stump,  threw 
down  her  crutches  and  I  prayed  for  her,  and  as  I 
said,  "Amen"  she  sprang  to  her  feet  and  ran  out 
through  the  crowd. 

There  was  a  3  oung  lady  school  teacher  standing 
by  me  and  had  been  talking  to  me  just  a  few  min- 
utes before  this,  and  she  said  that  she  wished  that 
she  could  see  some  one  healed  that  she  knew  there 
was  something  the  matter  with.  them.  That  she  had 
never  happened  to  be  around  when  a  cripple  was 
healed.  I  said  to  her,  "There  are  a  number  of  peo- 
ple gathering  around  that  stump  now  and  I  prom- 
ised to  meet  some  people  there  to  pray  for  them 
this  afternoon  and  the  time  is  up,  and  if  you  A\ill 
go  with  me  you  Avill  likely  see  some  one  healed." 
She  and  another  school  teacher  that  was  with  her 
went  with  me.  When  this  woman  and  man  were 
healed  they  ran  out  past  her,  which  occurred  a  few 
minutes  after  we  arrived  at  the  place.  I  saw  her 
crying,  and  I  said  to  her,  ""What  do  you  think  now, 
Lizzie?  Have  you  seen  any  one  healed?"  She  said, 
"Yes,  that  was  satisfactory,"  Her  name  is  (Miss) 
Elizabeth  Becker,  Anderson,  Indiana. 

Another  incident  is  that  of  a  blind  man  who 
came  to  the  meeting,  and  said  that  he  had  been 
blind  for  six  years,  and  could  not  see  an  arc  light 
in  two  inches  of  his  face,  and  that  he  believed  God 


HOW   I  GO'i    FAITH  173 

would  lunil  liiiii.  He  was  pi'ctyed  for  and  said  that 
God  Jiad  done  the  work,  and  that  lie  could  see  and 
picked  his  wife,  whom  he  had  not  seen  in  six  years, 
out  of  the  congregation,  and  could  tell  tlie  ditter- 
ence  in  the  color  of  her  w^aist  and  skirt.  His  name 
is  (jeorge  C.  Petty,  Urbana,  Ohio. 

There  are  enough  cases  of  healing  similar  to 
the  above  named  that  occurred  there  in  answer  to 
prayer  during  the  camp-meeting  to  make  a  book 
nearly  as  large  as  this  one.  I  prayed  for  something 
like  six  or  eight  hundred  people  on  the  camp  ground 
betAveen  meetings,  besides  the  many  that  T  visited 
in  their  rooms,  and  that  were  i^rayed  for  in  the 
auditorium  in  the  regular  services. 

I  w^as  called  to  a  room  in  the  basement  of  the 
office  building  while  there  to  pray  for  a  man  who 
had  consumption.  He  was  not  able  to  come  out  to 
meetings.  He  sent  for  me  a  number  of  times  before 
I  got  time  to  go.  I  learned  that  he  had  sent  for 
otlicf  parlies  a  number  of  times.  Finally  when  T 
did  go  I  found  a  pitiful  sight.  A  num  in  a  dying 
condition  Avitli  a  lot  of  little  children  playing 
around  him.  He  had  come  there  hoping  to  be 
healed.  He  seemed  to  have  pei'fect  faith  in  God, 
believed  the  Avoi'k  Avould  be  done.  WIkmi  T  i)rayed 
foi-  him  he  shouted  and  lejoiced  and  said  that  the 
work  was  done.  In  a  short  time  I  saw  him  going 
across  the  camp  ground  to  the  auditoi-ium  to  meet- 
ing. 

At  one  time  while  at  a  camp  meeting  at  Ander- 
son, ])revious  to  the  one  of  which  I  have  just  s])<>ken 
T  Avas  railed  to  pray  for  a  Avoman  that  Avas  in  a 
Avheel  chair.  Th(\v  had  started  Avith  her  to  the 
auditorium  to  meeting.  8he  could  not  sjx-ak  above  a 
AAiiisper.  She  seemed  to  be  in  the  last  stage  of 
tubei'culosis.  Her  eyes  began  to  sparkle  and  her 
faith  go  up  as  T  told  her  of  the  AA'ondei-ful  cases  of 
healing  T  had  AA'itnessed,  and  the  pi'onnses  in  the 
Word,  and  it  was  for  her.     I  asked  her  the  same 


174  now   I   (iOT  FAITH 

question  that  I  asked  the  others  before  spoken  of 
in  this  chapter,  that  if  1  Avoiild  pray  for  her  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  would  she  jump  out  of  the  cliair  and 
run.     Slie  said  she  would. 

I  laid  hands  on  her  and  prayed  for  her,  and  as 
I  said  ''Amen,"  she  sprang  out  of  the  chair  and 
started  toward  the  auditorium,  leaving  the  chair 
standing  there  on  the  ground,  and  walked  on  into 
the  auditorium.  Brother  James  B.  Peterman  and 
wife,  who  have  charge  of  the  Missionary  Home  at 
Kansas  City,  Missouri,  were  present;  they  were  the 
ones  who  called  me  to  pray  for  her.  I  do  not  know 
what  became  of  her.  If  her  faith  held  out  I  realize 
that  she  got  well.  If  her  faith  went  down  her 
body  would  go.  Jesus  said,  "As  your  faith  is  be  it 
unto  you." 

There  are  many  that  lose  healing  because  of 
giving  way  to  the  impiessions  of  the  flevil  and  dis- 
couragement. 

When  one  is  prayed  for  and  God  touches  the 
body  with  partial  healing,  or  gives  encouragement 
to  the  soul,  I  consider  this  a  ^dtness  to  the  healing. 
I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  just  because  we  have 
been  prayed  for,  have  no  impression  in  the  prayer 
and  no  faith  exercised  and  no  mtness  to  the  soul 
nor  to  the  body  by  pain  being  removed,  but  just  to 
be  the  same,  still  sick,  crippled,  or  still  afflicted  as 
we  were  before  we  were  prayed  for,  then  to  go  on 
and  testify  that  we  were  healed,  and  every  one  can 
see  that  we  are  just  like  we  were.  I  do  not  believe 
in  this.  It  is  a  reproach  to  God's  cause,  and  has 
driven  many  from  the  truth  and  caused  many  to 
doubt  God,  and  to  believe  that  he  did  not  heal.  I 
can  possibly  explain  this  to  you  by  gi\'ing  a  little  of 
my  own  testimony  concerning  my  healing  of  con- 
sumption, and  a  number  of  other  diseases  of  which 
I  have  been  healed.  But  I  think  that  this  is  the 
most  important  as  it  was  the  first  time  that  I  was 
ever  healed.    It  was  onlv  a  few  day^  after  I  was  con- 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  175 

veiled  and  just  a  few  Aveeks  since  I  had  been  an 
infidel,  that  1  Avas  prayed  for  for  healing  of  con- 
suni[)ti()n  and  other  afHictions,  cliionic  diseases 
that  I  had  liad  for  years.  I  believed  that  God  would 
heal  me.  I  had  already  meditated  on  the  matter 
and  made  tip  my  mind  that  wa}^  I  was  expecting 
it.  I  had  met  every  condition  that  1  knew  and  I 
had  covenanted  with  God  that  I  would  do  every- 
thinii  that  he  showed  me  to  do. 

AVhen  I  was  prayed  for  my  faith  grasped  the 
promises,  the  healing  power  of  God  went  through 
my  body,  removing  ever}-  pain  and  giving  me  per- 
fect, instant  relief.  I  knew  that  I  was  healed,  and 
I  testified  to  it.  I  did  not  know  what  the  result 
would  be,  but  very  soon  the  test  came.  I  knew  that 
God  had  healed  me,  and  1  knew  that  his  word  was 
true,  and  I  stood  on  the  witness  and  the  word.  The 
pains  were  just  as  severe,  and  I  suffered  just  as 
much  at  times,  but  I  Avoiild  stand  on  the  witness 
and  the  Avord  and  told  God  I  kncAV  that  he  had 
done  it,  and  I  told  the  people  that  I  had  the  A\itness 
of  it.  I  Avould  not  testify  that  I  Avas  healed,  but 
tliat  [  had  the  AA'itness  that  God  had  done  the  Avork, 
and  I  kncAV  that  this  Avas  an  imposition  of  the  devil 
to  keep  me  suffering.  I  fought  the  battle  for  three 
months  and  gained  the  A'ictory  and  came  out  a  Avell 
man. 

At  one  time  when  I  was  healed  of  the  rheuma- 
tism I  had  charge  of  a  Missionary  Home.  Brotliers 
Hyr.um,  Cole  and  Ball  and  other  ministers  Avere 
tliere  and  they  had  set  me  in  a  rocking  chair  in  the 
front  I'oom.  Brother  Byrum  said,  ''Brother  P.i-own, 
I  dreamed  last  night  that  we  were  sitting  here  and 
I  prayed  for  you  and  God  healed  you,  and  you 
jumped  up  and  ran  across  the  house."  I  said,  ''All 
right,  1  am  ready  to  be  healed,  and  I  believe  he  Avill 
do  it."'  They  all  gathered  around  me  at  once  ami 
they  prayed  for  me;  as  they  said,  "Amen"  I  s]>rang 
out  of  the  chair  and  walked  around  the  room.     T 


170  now  I  (iOT  J  AiTii 

was  healed,  1  felt  the  power  of  God  go  through  my 
body.  1  called  for  my  overcoat  and  put  it  on  and 
started  down  the  street  to  the  barber  shop  to  get 
a  shave,  as  I  had  not  been  shaved  for  some  time. 
I  walked  on  the  board  walk  and  down  the  steps  to 
the  brick  sidew' alk.  As  my  heel  struck  the  sidewalk 
a  shock  went  up  my  limbs  and  spine  clear  up  to  the 
back  of  my  head,  the  next  step  it  w^as  the  same, 
and  the  next  and  the  next,  and  I  began  to  tremble 
all  over.  I  rebuked  the  devil,  told  God  that  I  knew 
that  he  had  healed  me  and  that  1  stood  on  the  wit- 
ness and  the  word.  I  Avent  on  to  the  barber  shop, 
having  quite  a  battle,  but  gained  the  victory  before 
I  got  to  the  shop.  Walked  into  the  shop,  the  barber, 
who  was  a  colored  man,  arose  and  came  crippling 
across  the  shop  as  1  pulled  off  my  coat.  I  said, 
''AVhat  is  the  matter  with  you?''  He  told  me  he 
had  been  having  an  aw^ful  time  with  rheumatism 
and  told  me  of  Ms  suffering.  "Well,"  I  said,  "w^hat 
are  you  doing  for  it?"  He  said  that  he  had  done 
nearly  everything,  and  kept  telling  me  of  his  reme- 
dies until  I  had  gotten  into  the  chair  and  Avas 
ready  to  be  shaved.  I  said,  "Well,  I  have  just  had 
quite  a  siege  of  rheumatism,  and  I  just  got  healed 
a  bit  ago  and  w^alked  down  from  the  house  here 
the  first  time  that  I  have  been  out  of  the  house  for 
so  many  weeks."  He  said,  "What  remedv  did  you 
take?"  I  said,  ."The  Holy  Ghost."  That  God 
healed  me  in  answer  to  prayer.  I  laid  there  and 
preached  to  that  colored  man  while  he  shaved  me. 
When  he  took  the  napkins  and  the  apron  off  of  me 
I  could  not  get  out  of  that  chair,  I  could  not  move. 
I  w^as  perfectly  helpless.  The  de^il  said  now  you 
have  fixed  it.  I  took  a  stand  against  the  devil  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  I  told  the  devil  that 
I  would  get  out  of  that  chair.  This  was  all  done 
in  secret  and  the  colored  man  did  not  know  the 
battle  that  was  going  on,  and  I  got  up  from  there 
with  as  much  freedom  as  I  ever  got  up  in  my  life. 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  177 

I  put  Oil  my  coats,  bid  him  good-bye  and  left  the 
shop;  as  I  stepped  out  on  the  sidewalk  those  ner- 
vous shocks  began  to  run  up  my  limbs  from  my 
heel  to  my  head,  until  I  gave  Avay,  let  down  and  had 
to  be  helped  to  the  house. 

I  did  not  get  so  that  I  could  not  Avalk  any  more, 
I  did  not  give  up  the  fight.  I  renewed  my  strength, 
and  Avas  prayed  lor  again  and  my  faith  was  some- 
what incr(:ased,  but  I  could  not  get  the  faith  that 
I  had  before.  I  fought  this  battle  for  days,  and 
fiimlly  I  received  a  message  to  come  to  a  neighbor- 
ing city  on  special  business  for  tlie  Lord.  I  sent 
for  my  co-laborer,  who  was  in  another  town  with 
a  company  holding  meeting,  to  come  and  go  with 
me.  We  arrived  there  and  walked  out  to  the  house, 
wliich  was  probably  a  quarter  or  a  half  mile  away, 
and  I  was  feeling  the  elfects  of  my  trip  considera- 
bly. It  began  to  thunder,  and  a  terrible  cloudburst 
came  up  and  the  roads  and  the  walks  were  covered 
with  water,  and  the  basement  of  the  house  where  I 
stayed  was  full  of  water.  I  stayed  in  that  damp 
place  over  the  water  the  remainder  of  that  day  and 
night  and  also  the  next  day  and  night.  However, 
I  preached  there  the  "first  night,  the  ])arties  came 
in  by  wading  some  Avater,  the  Avater  liad  subsided 
some  so  that  they  could  get  along  Avell  by  being 
very  careful  in  hunting  for  places  to  Avalk. 

After  we  came  home  my  company  went  on  to 
another  toAvn  to  hold  a  meeting,  and  finally  ])lioned 
for  me  to  come,  that  I  was  needed.  I  Avent,  but  by 
this  time  I  had  become  so  tliat  I  could  not  dress  or 
undress  myself  and  could  scarcely  Avalk  Avithout 
help.  I  left  in  tiie  afteiiioon  and  AV(Mit  to  meeting 
that  night,  took  a  seat  on  tlie  lostiuni.  After 
])rayer  and  song  service  no  one  attempted  to  preach, 
and  God  began  to  ]>nt  a  message  on  me  on  divine 
healing.  It  Avas  ceilainly  embai-iasing  to  me  to  get 
U])  beCore  tlie  ]»eople  in  tlie  condition  that  1  Avas, 
to   pi-eacli   on    (liNJnc   liealiiig.   bui    1    had    pinnnsed 


178  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

God  to  never  refuse  to  give  the  message  that  he 
gave  me  under  any  circumstance,  I  pulled  up  by 
the  pulpit,  stood  in  a  stooping  position,  Avith  my 
legs  drawn  rather  crooked,  leaning  upon  the  pulpit. 
M}^  hands  and  fingers  were  all  drawn. 

I  said,  ''It  may  seem  a  little  strange  to  you  peo- 
ple to  see  me  get  up  here  in  this  condition  and 
preach  on  divine  healing,  but  God  has  given  me  the 
message  and  I  promised  him  that  I  would  never 
refuse  to  give  the  message  that  he  gives  to  me.  It 
is  settled  with  me  that  I  will  trust  God  to  heal  me 
even  if  the  joints  twist  out  of  their  sockets  and 
every  limb  is  torn  from  my  body  and  I  die,  I  will 
die  in  the  faith  which  I  preach."  At  that  moment 
the  healing  poAver  of  God  went  through  my  body 
and  I  began  to  leap  and  jump  and  the  people  Avere 
convinced  that  God  did  heal. 

This  sounds  queer  to  some  people,  and  I  realize 
that  you  cannot  understand  Avhy  this  happened. 
But  it  is  very  plain  to  me.  First  God  said  aac  should 
be  purified,  made  white  and  tried  as  gold  is  tried 
in  the  fire.  God  permitted  .me  to  have  these  tests 
that  God  could  help  me  to  be  a  help  to  others.  God 
AAithheld  my  healing  until  the  time  that  he  could 
get  the  most  glory  out  of  it.  Certainly  to  be  in- 
stantly healed  in  the  presence  of  a  large  congrega- 
tion, mostly  all  unbelievers,  Avas  a  miracle  that 
would  cause  God  to  get  the  gloi-y  and  the  people 
would  be  benefitted. 

This  is  not  the  only  incident  similar  to  this 
that  I  have  had  but  a  number  like  this.  What  I 
am  trying  to  get  you  to  see  is  that  aaIicu  you  get 
the  A\i.tness  of  healing  ignore  the  impression  and 
the  symptoms  of  the  devil,  stand  on  the  Avltness 
and  the  word,  and  hold  your  faith  up  to  God  and 
you  will  Avin  the  battle. 

The  deA'il  is  a  Avliip])ed  deA'il,  Jesus  Christ 
whipped  him  over  1900  years  ago,  and  Christ  in 
us  is  greater  than  he  that  is  in  the  world,  and 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  179 

■with  Christ  we  can  whip  the  devil.  I  decided  many 
years  ago  not  to  be  whij)])ed  by  a  Avhip]K*d  devil, 
and  it  is  my  decision  yet.  My  faith  is  as  strong  in 
God  today  as  ever  in  life,  thongh  I  am  going 
throngh  a  battle,  and  for  the  past  six  or  eight  weeks 
I  have  had  a  battle  for  my  life,  but  the  victory  is 
won.  God  witnessed  to  my  liealing,  and  assurred 
me  that  my  life  is  again  extended  for  an  unlimited 
time,  and  I  am  expecting  to  soon  be  out  in  the  battle 
field  (iring  the  gospel  gun  warning  men  and  women 
to  flee  from  the  wiath  to  come,  and  helping  precious 
souls  to  get  that  Avhieh  (iod  himself  willed  unto 
them  through  the  death  of  his  son  Jesus  Christ. 

There  was  an  old  colored  man  lived  at  Musca- 
tine, Iowa,  who  drove  a  huckster  wagon.  He  had 
known  the  truth  for  years,  but  had  gotten  into 
some  trouble  and  there  was  considerable  dissatis- 
faction between  himself  and  seveial  others,  which 
caused  him  to  get  away  from  God.  He  was  turned 
.igaiiisi  the  ti-uth  and  against  the  saints,  saying 
hard  things  about  the  saints,  and  he  fell  out  with 
me  because  I  preached  the  truth  against  the  decep- 
tion they  were  niuler.  I  moved  away  from  there 
leaving  liim  feeling  very  badly  towards  us.  Some 
time  after  I  left  there  he  Avas  coming  home  one 
night  and  on  crossing  a  bridge  his  horses  became 
brightened  and  ran  off  of  the  bridge.  The  wagon 
and  the  man  fell  on  top  of  the  hoi'scs.  Tlic  horses 
made  their  ('S(a[K'  some  way  from  under  the  wagiui, 
but  he  was  fastened  and  could  not  get  aAvay,  and 
the  wagon  was  laying  on  the  old  man.  The  noise 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  (higs  at  the  neighbor- 
ing honses  and  they  Itegan  to  bailc  and  ke|»t  uj»  the 
])arking  for  a  couple  of  ht)urs.  There  was  one  huly 
Avho  lived  a  short  distance  away  kept  insisting  there 
was  something  wi-ong  and  living  to  jiersuade  her 
husband  to  g(>  and  .see  what  was  the  t  ronble.  I'inal- 
ly  she  persuaded  him  to  go,  and  they  took  their 
lantern  and  weic  imi)i-essed  to  go  to  the  bridge,  and 


180  now  I   COT   FAITH 

they  looked  down  in  the  creek  bed  find  saw  tlie 
horses  and  the  wauon  piled  there,  and  tlie  old  man 
laying  crushed  under  the  Avagon,  and  the  dog  laying 
by  his  head.  They  spoke  to  him,  he  could  hear 
them  and  kne^'  what  was  going  on  but  he  could  not- 
speak  so  that  they  could  hear  him.  As  they  started 
to  go  to  see  if  the}''  could  help  him,  his  dog  raised 
up  to  protect  him,  and  would  not  let  them  come 
near  the  old  man,  but  he  said  he  spoke  to  the  dog 
in  a  whisper  and  said,  "Let  them  come."  The  dog 
stood  back  and  the  man  then  went  to  him  and  got 
him  from  under  the  wagon,  and  got  his  team  loose 
and  carried  him  to  the  house  and  phoned  to  his 
family,  some  miles  away,  and  they  got  a  carriage 
and  hauled  him  home. 

He  was  examined  by  the  doctor,  who  told  him 
that  there  w^as  no  chance  for  life,  giving  a  number 
of  reasons  why  he  could  not  be  expected  to  live. 
He  laid  for  some  weeks,  could  not  turn  his  head  or 
move  any  part  of  his  body.  He  saw  his  condition 
and  began  to  pray,  as  he  was  in  his  right  mind  all 
the  time.  God  showed  him  how  that  he  had  turned 
against  His  Word,  the  saints,  and  that  he  was  not 
walking  in  the  light  that  he  had,  but  had  turned 
against  it,  and  had  failed  to  walk  in  the  light  of 
the  gospel,  and  for  foolishness  had  sold  his  soul, 
and  had  lost  sight  of  the  Church  of  God  and  her 
beauty,  and  that  she  had  no  more  attraction  for 
him. 

He  got  saved  and  God  gave  him  a  vision  and 
showed  him  the  church  as  white  as  snow,  pure  and 
spotless  and  no  unclean  thing  could  be  in  it,  and 
that  the  way  that  he  and  others  had  done  they  were 
not  in  the  church,  but  had  a  profession  and  were  on 
the  outside.  God  showed  him  the  promises  that 
were  to  the  church,  the  power  that  he  had  given 
the  church,  and  the  authority  that  he  had  given  his 
ministers,  and  who  his  nunisters  were  that  he  him- 
self was  acquainted  T\dth.    He  told  him  that  if  they 


now  I  GOT  r.MTii  181 

would  send  for  iiie,  and  if  1  wouhl  vouw  that  God 
would  heal  him.  He  had  lain  there  souk*  weeks 
before  he  was  saved.  It  was  in  the  fall  of  IJM)")  that 
he  fell  off  of  the  bridge,  and  it  was  in  December 
following  that  he  sent  for  me,  making  some  two  or 
three  months  that  he  had  lain  there  i)erfe(tly  help- 
less, could  not  move  a  liml)  by  himself  or  tnni  his 
head. 

I,  in  company  with  a  few  saints,  readied  tliere 
at  a  late  hour  in  the  night,  and  I  went  into  the 
room,  the  tears  were  streaming  down  his  face,  and 
he,  with  a  trembling  voice,  asked  forgiveness,  and 
told  me  of  his  wrongs,  that  God  had  liad  mercy  on 
Mm,  and  permitted  this  to  occur  to  save  his  soul 
from  hell,  and  that  he  knew  that  (xod  was  going 
to  heal  him  :  that  he  had  shown  him  that  if  he  wonld 
send  for  me  and  T  would  come  and  pray  for  him  that 
he  would  be  heided.  After  talking  with  hiTii  a  while 
we  prayed  for  him,  anointed  him  with  oil  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  commanded  him  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  to  arise,  as  Jesus  did  the  paralyzed  man  who 
had  been  paralyzed  for  thirty  and  eight  years,  and 
innnediatcly  he  raised  up  in  bed  and  sat  thei-e  ])rais- 
ing  ChM.  and  said,  ''I  am  going  to  get  out  of  here," 
and  he  did  get  out  of  bed  and  put  a  (pult  around 
him  ami  sat  dcnvn  in  a  rocking  cliair  and  sat  thei-e 
rocking  and  bnighing  and  praising  God.  Ii  was 
but  a  short  time  until  he  Avas  i-cady  to  go  to  W(nk, 
and  the  last  T  knew  (d'  him  he  was  living  for  God, 

There  aic  many  incidents  that  I  know  of  like 
this  where  God  has  almost  let  individnals  die  be- 
fore he  could  l)reak  their  stnbl)oin  will  and  get 
them  to  surrendei'  to  his  call. 

T  was  called  from  Cedar  IJapids  to  lied  rick, 
low^a,  to  hold  a  meeting.  While  T  Avas  thcic  ilic 
people  began  talking  among  tlieiiiselves,  coneei-ning 
me  moving  thei-e.  After  ( Jod  had  done  a  great  work 
there,  the  church  and  minister  ])r()posed  to  an  <dd 
lady  that  they  luii'chase  us  ;i  home  the!-e  and  that 


182  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

I  move  there.  The  old  lady  said  that  she  would 
give  five  hundred  dollars.  Soon  the  money  was 
raised.  However,  I  left  before  it  was  all  finished 
up.  They  gave  us  a  Jersey  cow  and  a  two  hundred 
pound  hog,  and  assurred  me  before  I  left  that  the 
trade  would  be  closed,  and  the  deed  would  be  ready 
for  me  by  the  time  I  reached  home. 

When  I  reached  home  I  found  my  wife  sitting 
in  her  chair  crying.  I  asked  her  what  the  trouble 
was  She  said,  "O,  papa,  we  will  have  to  leave 
here,  or  you  must  pay  this  rent.  I  cannot  stand 
it."  She  said  that  a  certain  party  had  just  left  her, 
and  had  been  complaining  about  paying  rent  and 
me  gone.  I  told  her  to  cheer  up,  we  have  a  home 
of  our  oAvn.  and  a  fifty  dollar  Jersey  cow  and  a  two 
hundred  pound  hog.  She  said,  "Ah!"  But  her 
crying  stopped.  I  said,  "It  is  true."  She  laughed 
and  said,  "Ah!"  again,  this  was  repeated  two  or 
three  times  before  I  could  get  her  settled  enough 
that  I  could  make  an  explanation.  They  notified 
me  by  phone  that  afternoon  that  the  deed  was  ready, 
to  come  on  to  my  new  home. 

I  broke  the  news  to  the  parties  who  had  the 
house  rented,  and  they  seemed  glad  that  we  were 
going  to  vacate  the  house.  We  went  to  see  the  lady 
Ave  had  rented  the  house  from  and  she  released  it 
and  told  me  I  could  go.  I  went.  A  great  many 
things  occurred  in  going  which  I  do  not  care  to 
rehearse  here. 

I  chartered  a  car  and  shipped  my  household 
goods  to  Hedrick,  loAva,  reached  there  about  two 
o'clock  Christmas  morning,  1905.  At  this  place  I 
made  the  worst  blunder  of  my  life  since  being  saved. 
I  had  a  great  deal  of  respect  for  this  old  lady  and 
her  husband  avIio  had  given  the  fiA^e  hundred  dol- 
lars. I  cared  for  them  as  though  they  were  my 
father  and  mother.  He  was  one  of  the  best  men 
I  ever  knew.  She  Avas  one  of  the  best  women,  by 
spells,  but  she  had  spells. 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  183 

Before  lie  died  tliey  called  me,  over  the  plioiie, 
to  come  to  their  house,  and  they  told  me  that  they 
had  decided  to  fix  up  their  business.  Tlie  ]U'0])erty 
all  belonged  to  her.  They  said  tliat  tlicy  were 
going  to  make  a  will  and  they  wanted  me  executor 
of  th(^  Avill.  I  told  them  that  I  would  rallicr  tliey 
would  get  another  brothei',  naming  a  iiuiii  well 
known  to  tlieni.  as  he  did  not  pnt  in  all  his  time 
in  the  ministry,  and  was  aciiuaiiitcd  with  the  laws 
of  the  State,  and  they  decided  to  a|)])<)iiil  him  as 
executor. 

The  Avill  provided  for  the  supi)ort  of  the  hus- 
band, if  slie  died  fiist,  and  the  reiiiaindei-  of  the 
I)roi)erty  was  to  go  to  the  supi)ort  of  the  gospel 
work.  After  some  time  he  died  wliile  I  was  away 
from  home.  T  was  told  that  his  children  wanted 
part  of  the  property,  and  she  i'<'fuse(l  to  give  them 
^ny  of  the  ])i-oi>erty.  The  executor  iclused  to  at- 
tend to  her  business  foi-  her,  and  she  sent  for  me 
to  come  home.  When  I  i-eaclied  home  she  repeated 
wliat  lie  had  told  me  about  the  business,  s;ii(l  tlu^ 
pa})ers  were  in  the  bank  ami  that  there  was  noth- 
ing to  do  there.  I  said  those  pa])ers  are  in  the 
baidv  and  we  must  have  them  if  we  have  to  serve 
m)lice  on  them,  and  we  talked  of  what  her  husband 
had  told  me  that  she  had  heai-d  him  s;iy.  1  went 
to  the  bank  with  her  and  told  them  th;it  she  re- 
quested the  ])a])ers:  also  told  them  wlnit  her  hus- 
band h;i<l  lold  me,  ;ind  they  gave  us  the  p;i|ieis.  She 
said,  ••Von  come  ;ind  go  with  me  to  the  Nol;iiy  Tub- 
lie's  office  ;ind  1  will  unlie  youi-  li;inds  so  lluit  you 
can  attend  to  Ihis  Inisiness.  When  we  reached  the 
Xolaiy  Public's  office  she  sai<l  she  wanted  me  given 
power  of  attorney  lo  attend  \o  this  liusiness.  He 
wrote  the  neci'ssary  papers,  she  acknowledged  them 
before  t\m  Notary,  then  she  said  she  wanted  a  will : 
that  she  was  not  salisfied  with  hei-  othei-  will  :  that 
she  wanted  liei-  means  used  in  helping  to  support 
the  gospel:  tluit    she  had   Cound   llic   way   l  he  olhei' 


184  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

will  was  made  it  would  not  go  to  the  niiiiistry,  but 
would  be  used  for  other  purposes.  She  said  that 
she  wanted  to  will  everything  to  me  that  she  had, 
to  be  mine  at  her  death,  and  she  said  that  if  she 
died  she  wanted  it  to  go  that  way,  but  if  she  lived 
she  could  change  it  if  she  wanted  to  do  so.  But 
she  did  not  want  it  left  the  way  it  was  drawn  up, 
for  she  did  not  want  it  so  her  people  would  get 
any  of  her  property.  Another  will  was  drawn  up, 
and  given  to  the  cashier  of  the  bank  to  deposit  in 
the  bank. 

A  year  went  by  and  I  attended  to  the  business 
the  best  that  I  could  and  this  made  a  great  amount 
of  talk  among  her  people  and  among  other  people 
that  took  sides  with  her  people.  I  was  called  to 
Hickman,  Kentucky,  to  hold  a  meeting,  and  took 
my  wife  and  two  youngest  boys  Avith  me ;  also  took 
tJii«  old  lady  with  me.  After  a  while  she  became 
r.-^stless,  and  she  called  me  into  the  room  and  said 
tr-  me  that  when  we  go  home  she  Avanted  to  fix 
that  business,  that  she  was  not  satisfied  with  it, 
and  also  said  that  the  will  was  not  binding  as  it 
was.  She  said,  "I  kncAV  a  man  that  made  his  will 
the  AA'ay  that  I  did,  and  I  was  a  witness,  and  after 
he  died  they  broke  that  mil  and  gave  the  property 
to  those  that  he  did  not  want  to  have  it."  I  told 
her  to  not  worry  and  to  get  the  good  of  the  meet- 
ing, and  that  we  would  attend  to  that  business  later. 
Xothing,  however,  would  satisfy  her  and  she  and 
my  wife  Avent  home  sometime  before  T  did. 

I  received  several  letters  from  her  insisting  that 
I  should  hurry  on  home,  that  she  Avanted  this  busi- 
ness attended  to.  When  I  reached  home  we  had  an 
Assembly  meeting.  I  told  her  that  I  was  going 
to  leave  in  a  few  days  and  go  to  Florida.  She  told 
me  that  she  wanted  her  will  attended  to  before  I 
went  away,  that  she  might  die  before  I  returned, 
and  insisted  that  I  go  at  once  and  attend  to  it.  We 
went  to  the  bank  and  she  deeded  me  CA^erything 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  185 

that  she  had.  I  was  to  take  control  of  it  immediate- 
ly. I  was  to  take  care  of  her  while  she  lived.  I 
was  to  sell,  control  and  dispose  of  the  property  as 
1  saw  fit  from  that  day  on.  There  was  a  good  deal 
of  indebtedness  against  tlic  piopcity;  this  was  to 
be  paid  off.  I  made  mortgages  and  obtained  the 
money  and  paid  off'  all  the  debts  that  were  due. 
Spent  quite  a  sum  of  money  as  she  lequested  it  to 
be  spent  in  the  gospel  work.  IJorrowcd  money  and 
spent  it  for  that  purpose  as  she  requested.  I  told 
her  that  I  would  spend  the  money  as  she  desired. 
I  wislied  that  I  could  spend  every  dollar  of  it  while 
she  lived  so  there  could  be  nothing  for  peoi)l('  to 
complain  about  to  me  after  she  died. 

I  gave  her  perfect  liberty  to  get  anything  that 
she  wanted  at  any  of  the  stores  in  town.  I  took 
her  with  me  as  I  traveled  ovei-  different  states  try- 
ing to  please  her.  AVhile  in  Tanq)a,  Florida,  slip 
was  with  me,  I  received  notice  that  her  peoi)le  had 
brought  suit  against  me  for  defraudure  and  chai-ged 
her  with  insanity.  I  wired  to  the  att(Hiiey  tliero 
and  had  them  to  stay  the  case  until  I  coubl  leach 
home,  which  he  did.  When  we  reached  home  the 
court  canie  on  and  we  were  there  and  ready  and 
tiny  witlidrew  the  suit.  At  ant)(her  time  when  t 
was  in  Donaldsonville,  Georgia,  I  received  notice 
from  her  th^it  they  had  brought  suit  against  her 
for  insanity,  and  for  me  to  come  at  once.  T  wired 
the  attorneys  I  had  (  nipioyed  to  look  alter  the  case 
to  not  let  it  come  to  trial  until  I  n-ached  home, 
which  they  did.  The  trial  came  on  and  the  Couit 
decided  that  she  was  sane  and  cai>able  of  attending 
to  business,  more  so  than  tliosc  who  Itroughl  tlie 
suit  against  her. 

I  was  in  the  worst  condition  during  this  time 
that  T  was  ever  in  before  in  my  life.  T  had  thous- 
ands of  dollars  worth  of  ])ro])erty  in  ni.v  own  name. 
Tt  Avas  known  by  the  ])eople  generally  that  1  liad  it. 
I  would  go  to  cam])-meetings  ;ind  as.scmbly   meet- 


180  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

iiigB  and  not  one  dollar  would  be  given  nie.  Wlien 
the  money,  wliicli  \\as  received  in  the  meeting;  lor 
the  nunisters,  was  divided  they  would  «ay,  ''Brother 
Brown  has  plenty  and  he  does  not  need  any  money," 
and  they  would  divide  the  money  according  to  the 
need,  as  they  thought.  I  would  have  to  look  out 
for  my  car  fare,  and  often  I  would  not  liave  any 
money  and  would  have  to  get  down  and  pray  for 
the  money  to  get  away  from  the  meeting.  The  de\'il 
would  tell  me  that  I  already  had  it  and  was  deceiv 
ing  the  people.  So  it  wus  as  Solomon  said,  '"All 
is  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit." 

This  old  lady  was  very  childish  and  thought 
that  I  should  pay  my  respects  to  her  before  my 
wife  or  any  other  person,  and  frequently  told  me 
this.  A  number  of  ministers  who  would  go  there 
and  hold  meeting  would  council  with  her.  In  their 
presence,  time  and  again  I  have  offered  to  deed 
back  to  her  everything  that  she  had  given  me,  and 
she  would  not  have  it.  When  she  was  on  the  A\'it- 
ness  stand  when  they  were  trying  her  for  insanity 
the  Judge  asked  me  if  I  was  willing  to  change  the 
deed,  and  put  it  so  she  could  have  control  of  it  until 
death  and  then  the  property  to  go  to  me.  I  said,  "I 
am  willing  to  do  anything  that  she  Avants  done." 
I  also  told  them  that  I  was  ^dlling  to  deed  it  back 
to  her  at  that  time,  if  she  would  accept  it.  She 
called  the  attention  of  the  court  and  the  jury  and 
the  audience,  and  asked  them  to  listen  to  what  she 
had  to  say.  She  said,  ''I  will  not  have  it  back,  I 
have  given  it  to  him,  it  is  his.  If  he  was  to  give 
it  to  me  I  Avould  give  it  back  to  him  before  I  left 
this  town.  If  he  would  not  have  it  I  would  give 
it  to  some  one  else  before  morning,  my  people  will 
kill  me  for  it." 

Some  time  passed  on  and  they  kept  talking  to 
her  and  looking  after  her  to  try  to  influence  her, 
and  finally  succeeded  in  getting  her  to  turn  against 
Die,  and  when  I  was  on  the  eastern  coast  and  several 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  187 

niiles  from  home  she  notified  me  to  come  at  once 
and  attend  to  business.  I  A\'rote  her  that  I  had  a 
number  of  meetings  in  view,  and  could  not  come, 
and  that  there  was  nothing  to  attend  to.  She  wrote 
me  that  she  was  giving  me  a  last  notice,  and  that  I 
had  better  come,  or  1  Avould  wish  that  I  had ;  that 
she  would  do  something  that  I  would  be  sorry  for. 
I  wrote  back  to  her  to  do  wliat  she  pleased  and 
thought  best.  She  brought  suit  against  me  for  the 
property. 

I  then  owned  a  seven  room  house,  Avith  a  base- 
ment; eigiit  lots,  two  lots  in  orchard  and  about 
three  and  one-half  lots  in  meadow ;  a  barn  and  two 
nice  chicken  houses;  coal  houses  and  other  neces- 
saiy  buildings  and  all  in  good  condition.  Assessed 
at  three  thousand  dollars,  this  was  mine  and  paid 
for.  She  had  given  five  hundred  dollars  at  the  start, 
and  two  hundi-ed  fifty  dollars  afterwards,  wliich 
I  had  more  than  worked  out  attending  to  lior  busi- 
ness. 

She  was  advised  by  her  lawyers  to  sue  for  the 
wliole  thing,  which  she  did.  T  came  home  and  went 
to  see  my  lawyers  and  told  them  to  get  settlement 
out  of  her  any  way  they  could  to  save  my  home. 
They  finally  got  a  settlement  out  of  her  by  me 
giving  a  mortgage  on  my  home  for  fourteen  hun- 
dred dollars  to  pay  her  debts,  or  money  that  T  had 
borrowed  for  her,  and  this  is  the  way  that  I  got 
out  of  the  trouble.  Since  commencing  to  write  this 
book  I  have  sold  my  home. 

She  mfirried  a  d^'unken  wreck  ;  since  that  lie  lias 
died.  TToAvever,  I  Avas  back  there  and  went  to  visit 
her  since  I  moved  away,  and  before  he  died.  She 
was  very  feeble.  I  learn  that  she  is  still  living.  T 
pity  hoi',  and  T  liave  love  and  respect  for  lici-  for 
whnt  she  did  for  me  in  the  beginning,  tliougli  she 
ruined  me  financially  in  the  end:  but  it  was  about 
the  best  thing  that  ever  happened  for  me.  T  found 
out  by  experience  that  a   preacher  does  not  ncccl 


3SS  HOW    I    (lOT    FAITH 

a  big  farm ;  a  lot  of  stock  to  look  after ;  or  a  miinber 
of  houses  in  toAvn  fo  rent;  or  a  big'  ]>ank  aeeonnt. 
It  is  too  apt  to  make  liim  independent,  and  Avlien 
he  goes  to  a  place  God  Avants  liim  to  stand  tests. 
I  have  tried  it  without  money  and  with  it,  and  my 
honest  opinion  is,  that  the  most  successful  preacher 
for  God  is  the  one  called  to  preach  the  gospel  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  Avith  a  Bible  and  a  knowl- 
edge of  how  to  use  it. 

The  folloAA'ing  is  AA'hat  the  business  men  of  Hed- 
rick,  la.,  said  about  me  after  this  trouble. 

"Hedrick,  loAva,  Xovend)er  2,  11)10. 
We,  the  undersigned,  having  been  acquainted 
vith  Reverend  Willis  M.  Brown  for  the  past  six 
years,  take  pleasure  in  saying  that  he  is  a  gentle- 
man of  sobriety,  honesty,  integrity,  and  has  a  sin- 
cere interest  in  his  Avork ;  and  Ave  cheerfully  rec- 
ommend him  to  the  good  people  of  any  community 
lAiiich  he  may  enter."' 

Wade  Kirkpatrick^  Vice  President  First  Xat'l 
Bank ; 

L.  Dudgeon^  Merchant ; 

James  W.  Jones,  Wholesale  Flour  and  Feed ; 

A.  F.  Broadavell^  Lumber  Dealer : 

G.  W.  Story^  HardAvare  Dealer ; 

W.  H.  YouxG,  Ex-banker ; 

E.  B.  Jackson  &  Son^  Grocermen : 

W.  C.  McWiLLiAMS,  Boot  &  Shoe  Dealer: 

G.  T.  DuKE^  Real-Estate  Agent : 

C.  T.  HOLCOMB,  Foot-Avear  Dealer ; 

J.  W.  Porter,  M.  D. 
One  time  Avhile  living  in  Marion,  Ivy.,  I  held  a 
meeting  in  Tennessee  and  an  editor  there  published 
a  false  report  about  me  through  his  paper  and 
when  I  left  Marion,  Ky.,  the  people  gave  me  the 
folloAving  recommendation : 

"Marion,  Crittendon  County,  Kentucky. 
We,  the  undersigned,  liaA'ing  been   acquainted 
with  ReA'erend  Willis  M.  Brown,  take  pleasure  in 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  189 

saying  that  lie  is  a  uciitlemen  of  sobi-iety,  honest y, 
integrity,  luul  is  sincerely  interested  in  liis  woik  : 
and  we  eheeifully  reconnnend  him  to  the  good  peo- 
ple of  any  eonununify  lie  may  enter." 
C.  S.  NuNN,  Attorney  at  Law : 
J.   \y.   Blue.  Attorney   at    Law:    President    of 

]Marion  liank  : 
1).  ^\'ooD,  Clerk  of  County  Court ; 
J.  Bell  Kevel,  County  Attorney : 
J.  AV.  Cu AW i-oiu).  M  I).; 
.1.  \V.  Roc'iiKSTKU,  County  Couit  .Indge; 
A.  .].  ricKEX,  Ex-Sherid" ; 
T.  B.  HuBBAKD,  Cashier  Marion  Baidc ; 
John  T.  1'ickens,  Sheriff; 
O.  M.   P.AUXKTT.  Pastor  M   K  Cliureli.  X.: 
H.  A.  llAiNES,  Clerk  Circuit  Court ; 
A.  M.  Henry^  Marbleman  &  Grocerman : 
T.  J.   XuNN,  Circuit  Judge,    (Now  Judge  of 

Court  of  Appeal,  Frankfort,  Ky. )  ; 
Willl^m  J.  De  Boe,  U.  S.  Senator ; 
K.    C.    Walker,    I^]ditor    Crittendon    County 
Press ;  (Xow  at  Grand  Junction,  Colorado  i  ; 
H.  ]M.  Cook.  Brop.  Long  Hotel: 
W.  ^I.  I'^oWLEU,  Pres.  Farmers'  Ilank." 

"Marion,  Crittendon  County,  Ky. 
"I  being  personally  ac(|uainted  witli  Willis  y\. 
Brown,  and  knowing  him  to  be  a  man  who  feai-s 
God  ami  a  faithful  workeiin  the  gospel,  recommend 
him  to  the  love  and  fellowship  of  all  where  his  lot 
may  be  cast. 

(Signed  I        T.   J.    Bamxm.imi . 
Pastor  of  the  M.  E.  Cliuich.  South." 
These  people  were  all  ac(piainted  with   me  f(»i' 
years,    before    I     was    converted.    exce])t     the    two 
preachers  that  are  named  here. 


190  now  I  GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


MY  CALL  TO  NEW  MEXICO 


In  August,  1911,  I  Avas  called  to  RosA\ell,  New 
Mexico,  to  help  in  a  camp  meeting.  Previous  to 
this  time  I  liad  put  a  notice  in  the  Gospel  Tiaiinpet, 
stating  that  I  expected  to  quit  traveling  so  exten- 
siveh^  and  settle  down  and  start  a  Missionary  Home 
wherever  the  Lord  opened  the  way.  At  the  time  of 
^he  meeting  at  Roswell  I  had  about  five  proposi- 
tions offered  me.  One  night  while  meditating  and 
pravdng,  God  flashed  it  on  my  mind  that  Roswell, 
K^ew  Mexico,  was  the  place  he  wanted  me. 

I  went  from  Roswell  to  Oklahoma  City,  then  to 
a  town  in  Tennessee,  where  I  met  my  company  of 
workers  and  held  a  meeting.  I  went  from  there  to 
Hedrick,  Iowa,  began  to  sell  off  my  property  and 
make  arrangements  to  move.  Before  reaching  Hed- 
rick, I  had  notified  the  saints  at  Roswell  to  rent  a 
house  and  make  arrangements  for  me  to  come.  Sis- 
ter A.  J.  Brown  and  her  two  daughters,  Lillian  and 
Bertha,  left  Decatur,  Alabama.  T\ith  the  under- 
staiuliiig  that  they  were  to  reach  Roswell  by  the 
first  of  October,  the  time  I  expected  to  arrive  there. 

I  sold  my  personal  property,  except  two  horses, 
a  carriage,  a  buggy  and  some  chickens  and  our 
household  goods,  chartered  a  car  on  the  third  day 
of  October,  and  started  in  an  immigrant  car  from 
Hedrick,  Iowa,  to  Roswell,  New  Mexico. 

We  reached  Roswell  on  October  9,  1911,  went 
into  the  Home  that  they  had  already  lented  at 
twenty-eight  dollars  per  month.  Had  less  than 
thirty  dollars  in  money,  our  household  goods,  two 
horses,  a  carriage  and  a  buggy.  There  were  only 
four  saints  in  the  town,  except  those  who  were  in 


HOW   I  GOT   rAITII  191 

the  Missionary  Home.  There  were  seven  oC  us  in 
the  home,  counting  niy  wife  and  I. 

I  rented  a  hall  for  meeting  on  Main  .street,  in 
the  business  part  of  town.  God  gave  me  favor  with 
the  ugent,  and  we  obtained  the  hall  at  half  price; 
it  rented  for  forty  dollars  and  they  let  us  have  it 
for  twenty  dollars  i)er  month.  Sometimes  there 
would  be  ten  saints,  sometimes  there  would  be  twen- 
ty, present,  other  times  fifteen,  and  sometimes  as 
many  as  fifty.  But  nearly  all  the  i)eoi)le  in  Koswell 
that  go  to  meeting  heard  us  preach  <luiiiig  the 
month's  meeting  Ave  held.  There  were  two  theater 
buildings  on  the  same  street,  running  every  night 
except  Sunday.  Ellection  was  on  hand.  The  col- 
lection that  was  put  in  the  treasury  l)ox  Avas  sev- 
enty-live cents  during  the  month's  meeting. 

Sometimes  our  rations  would  get  pretty  low. 
Sometimes  Ave  only  had  "frijolie''  beans  and  bread. 
We  ahvays  settled  up  the  first  day  of  each  month. 
Fre<|uently  the  first  day  of  the  month  Avould  come 
and  Ave  Avould  not  have  enough  to  i>ay  our  bills.  Be- 
fore night  the  money  AA'ould.  come  in  on  the  mail. 
Our  expenses  Avould  average  about  one  hundred 
forty  dollars  per  month. 

On  the  first  day  of  April,  1912,  Ave  did  not  have 
money  to  pay  even  the  small  bills.  We  had  prayer 
as  usual  and  asked  (Jod  to  move  in  his  own  Avay; 
to  keep  the  rejjroach  from  his  cause;  that  Ave  had 
committed  it  all  into  his  hands.  T  Avent  up  toAvn 
and  checked  out  Avhat  I  had  in  the  bank,  came  home 
about  ten  o'clock  and  ojx'ned  my  mail.  Tn  tlie  first 
letter  1  oitened  IImmc  was  n  ciieck  for  seventy-one 
dollars  from  Nebraska.  The  next  letter  had  a  check 
in  it  from  a  lady  in  Augusta,  (icoi'gia.  She  said, 
"Brother  BroAvn,  we  have  been  expecting  Brother 
Warren  here  to  hold  a  meeting,  and  I  have  been 
saving  money  to  pay  the  exi)enses  of  the  meeting. 
While  in  prayer  God  moved  on  my  heart  to  send  it 
to  yon.     \(}\\  nnisl   lie  needing  it."     We  opened  let- 


192  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

ters  until  we  received  enough  to  pay  off  the  bills, 
including'  house  rent,  and  had  enough  left  to  pay 
our  expenses  on  the  next  over-land  trij),  on  which 
we  started  in  a  few  days. 


now  1  (;()T  I A  nil  l<j;j 


CHAPTER  XVlll. 


NEW  MEXICO  EXPERIENCES 


111  Jaiiuaiy  my  son  Audeisou  came.  In  Feb- 
ruary we  took  our  first  overland  trip  of  one  hun- 
dred thirty-five  iiiih'S  distance  north  of  Koswell. 
Anderson  Avas  with  as.  1  liad  promised  lo  make  liiis 
trip.  1  A\as  afflicted  with  rheumatism  so  badly  1 
could  .scarcely  walk.  I  put  a  notice  in  the  (lospel 
Trumi)et.  asking  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  and 
statiiiii;  that  1  desired  God  to  heal  me  by  a  certain 
time  so  that  1  could  start  on  this  trip.  The  day 
before  we  were  to  start  God  touched  my  body  while 
we  were  in  prayer.  Every  j)ain  left  my  body,  all 
the  soreness  was  gone,  and  1  was  enabk*d  to  walk, 
but  could  not  well  dress  myself  because  of  being  so 
stiff. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  day  we  camped  on  what 
was  called  Salt  Creek  in  a  valley  Avhere  we  had 
to  bridle  our  horses  and  tie  their  heads  up  to  keep 
them  from  eating  the  alkali  grass,  which  was  liable 
to  kill  them  if  they  ate  it.  Anderson  and  I  made 
our  bed  on  a  nice  grassy  spot,  .sleitl  .sonndly  all 
night,  and  next  morning  when  we  loaded  our  bed 
we  found  that  the  bedding  that  was  next  to  the 
ground  was  wet  from  the  dam))ness  in  the  ground. 

Th(;  next  night  we  had  a  better  phice  to  camp, 
but  we  had  no  water  for  our  horses,  and  had  just 
a  little  in  a  water  bottle.  Anderson  tried  to  make 
his  way  tlirongh  to  the  I'ecos  River,  .ilter  we 
camped,  witli  the  horses  to  water  them.  lie  eaine 
to  a  wire  fence  and  could  not  get  throngh  and  dark- 
ness overtook  him.  He  was  so  long  in  getting  back 
that  I  called  to  him  :  he  answennl  me.  lie  thought 
he  was  coming  towar<ls  the  c;ini]>,  but  lie  was  gcMug 
in  a  different  direction.     I  keitt  calling  to  him  iinlil 


194  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

he  found  his  way  back  to  the  camp,  but  the  horses 
had  no  "vvater.  We  took  our  wash  basin  and  put 
all  of  the  water  we  had  in  it  and  gave  it  to  the 
horses  that  they  might  wash  the  dust  out  of  their 
throats.  Next  morning  Anderson  arose  early  and 
walked  and  led  the  horses  until  he  found  water 
for  them. 

We  went  through  without  any  accident  or  dam- 
age, with  the  exception  of  suffering  for  water  occa- 
sionally. We  held  a  meeting  there  and  the  Lord 
blessed  in  the  meeting.  TAvelve  or  fifteen  were 
saved,  closed  the  meeting  on  Sunday  night. 

On  the  following  morning  we  were  loaded  and 
ready  to  start  by  day  light.  It  looked  very  much 
like  storming.  We  traveled  thirty-five  miles  that 
day  in  order  to  reach  a  place  where  Ave  had  camped 
before  wliere  there  A^'ere  some  buildings.  AVhen  we 
reached  here  we  found  the  buildings  Avere  all  locked, 
except  the  chicken  house  and  one  stall  where  we 
could  put  one  horse. 

There  Avas  a  cloud  rising  in  the  Northeast  when 
we  camped,  and  the  wind  was  bloAving  from  the 
Southwest.  We  put  one  horse  in  the  stall,  and 
hitclied  the  other  horse  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
chicken  house  from  the  way  the  Avind  Avas  blowing. 
We  then  set  up  the  tent  by  the  dAvelling  house  which 
was  empty  and  just  about  dark  we  began  to  eat  of 
the  good  things  the  people  had  given  us.  Bread  and 
butter,  baked  fowl,  roast  beef,  cakes  and  pies.  Just 
as  we  finished  our  supper  we  heard  a  noise  and  An- 
derson looked  out  and  the  wind  had  changed  and 
in  a  moment  every  thing  on  the  table  Avas  covered 
Avith  sand  until  you  could  not  have  told  butter  from 
meat  or  cake  from  pie.  Some  of  the  dishes  AA'ere 
blown  away  and  lost,  and  everything  on  the  table 
Avas  scattered  in  different  directions.  The  wind 
backed  the  hack  up  and  turned  it  sideways  some 
distance  from  where  it  was,  one  wheel  resting  on 
the  tent,  which  kept  it  from  blowing  away.     The 


now  1  i;()T  1  AiTii  195 

chicken  liousc;  was  our  only  i)i-ol(*ction.  So,  while 
some  held  the  tent  together,  Andeison  and  Beitha 
took  the  lantern  and  started  for  it,  she  to  hold  the 
lantern  while  he  took  the  heddiiiii.  As  he  started 
to  the  chicken  hous(i  with  his  lirst  load  of  l)(*dding 
the  light  blew  out,  the  wind  caught  nie  and  threw 
me  against  the  house  rolling  me  around  the  corner. 
By  the  time  I  got  straightened  up  I  heard  Anderson 
call,  and  [  could  hear  Bertha  screandng  down  at  the 
chicken  house.  I  called  to  Anderson  and  he  an- 
swered me,  and  in  this  way  found  his  way  back 
to  the  tent,  then  to  the  chicken  house  and  brought 
Bertha  back.  It  was  so  dark  Ave  could  not  see  our 
hand  before  us  and  it  was  impossible  to  liglit  a  Ian 
tern,  the  whole  elements  were  tilled  with  flying 
sand.  We  saw  that  it  was  no  use  trying  to  stay  in 
the  tents  that  night.  We  remembered  seeing  a  large 
dugout  which  was  locked.  Anderson  said  tliat  he 
was  going  to  break  it  open,  and  I  told  him  to  do 
so  if  he  could,  as  we  Avere  suffering  with  the  cold 
by  this  time.  He  took  the  ax  and  struck  it  once  and 
it  came  open.  He  shouted  for  the  rest  to  come  on. 
We  found  it  to  be  a  nice  large  dugout,  well  cemented 
on  the  inside.  AVe  began  to  pile  the  bedding  doAvn 
in  the  dugotit,  the  sand  was  blowing  in  the  door 
and  was  covering  the  bedding  as  fast  as  we  could 
put  itdown.  In  live  minutes  time  one  pillow  was 
completely  buried  in  the  sand  and  we  never  found 
it  until  the  next  day.  We  got  all  our  things  that 
were  not  bloAvn  away  down  into  the  dugout  and  at 
last  we  were  secure  from  the  storm.  Anderson  took 
the  horse  that  was  standing  by  the  chicken  house, 
and  crowded  him  in  the  stall  beside  the  other  horse, 
and  they  stood  there  all  night.  The  next  morning 
the  Aviiul  Avas  still  bloAving  and  it  Avas  snowing  and 
bitter  cold.  We  stayed  there  all  day,  in  the  evening 
the  sun  came  out  bright  and  we  picked  up  some 
things  that  the  wind  had  bloAvu  aAvay. 

On  looking  across  the  plains  we  saAv  a  man  com- 


19G  now   I   GOT  FAITH 

iii.U,  with  Avhat   1  took  to  be  a  gun  in   liis  hand. 
Bulore  he  came  up  to  where  we  were  I  saw  lie  had 
a  broom.    I  asked  him  if  he  knew  whose  ranch  this 
was,  and  he  said  that  it  belonged  to  him.     I  told 
him  that  I  had  an  apology  to  make  to  him  and  some 
damages  to  pay,  that  we  had  broken  the  lock  to 
his  dugout  and  had  gone  in  out  of  the  storm.     He 
said  if  it  had  been  him  he  would  have  broken  the 
house  open,  and  he  supposed  that  we  had  and  had 
brought  the  broom  t  j  sweep  the  floor,    lie  said  that 
w^e  were  perfectly  welcome  to  the  house;  that  he 
had  started  for  home  the  cAening  before  but  had  to 
go  back  to  town  and  stay  until  the  Mind  ax  as  quiet. 
We  started  on  our  journey  the  next  day,  had  bad 
winds  and  occasionally  some  snow.     AVe  traveled 
for  two  and  a  half  days  and  came  to  what  was 
known  as  Twelve  Mile  Ci-eek,  just  thirty  miles  from 
Roswell.    We  met  a  cowboy  and  he  told  us  that  we 
could  get  water  a  mile  and  a  half  east  or  the  same 
distance  west,  and  he  thought  that  it  was  going  to 
storm  and  ^ye  had  better  go  with  him  to  Avhere  he 
was  boarding  and  stay  all  night.  AYe  asked  him  how 
far  it  was  to  the  breaks.    He  said  it  was  six  miles. 
Anderson  and  I  took  the  horses  to  water  and  the 
rest  of  the  company  picked  up  "skeef  roots,  pre- 
paring for  a  fire  that  night.     AAlien  we  got  back 
we  loaded  in  the  wood,  and  started  and  drove  about 
a  mile  and  a  half.    Clouds  were  rising  in  the  north- 
east, and  the  Axind  was  bloTsing  from  the  soutliAvest. 
I  told  them  that  if  the  wind  changed  we  would  have 
a  storm  and  could  never  make  it  to  the  breaks  before 
it  came.    In  a  few  moments  the  wind  changed,  and 
I  turned  the  horses  and  droAe  fast  back  to  the  creek 
bed,  one  mile  and  <i  half.     \Ve  stopped  where  the 
gorge  Avas  about  fift(!en  feet  deep  and  tAventy  or  thir- 
ty feet  wide.    Anderson  began  to  throw  the  camp- 
ing outfit  down  the  bank,  and  I  took  the  horses 
around  the  head  of  the  creek  bed  where  it  had  caAed 
in,  and  I  brought  them  down  a  rocky  stairAvav  into 


HOW   1  iU)T  lAlTlI  1U7 

tlic  goi-<iv  Avlioro  tlR'v  well'  i)r()tt'(ti'(l  from  the  Aviiid. 
WheiJ  we  gor  down  there  it  was  Avanii  and  the  wind 
blew  over  us.  We  soon  had  the  tents  up  and  supper 
ready,  horses  led  and  tied  to  some  big  rocks  thafe 
Anderson  had  piled  up.  About  the  time  Ave  were 
ready  to  retire  it  began  raining.  1  woke  np  in  tlie 
after  part  of  the  night  and  lieard  the  hoises  on 
the  outside,  right  at  our  heads.  I  told  Anderson 
to  get  up  (piiek,  that  the  horses  were  loose,  lie 
jumped  out  at  the  door  of  the  tent,  gave  a  loud 
scream  and  said  there  was  snow  in  tlie  gulley 
nearly  knee  deep.  lie  took  the  hor.^es  hack  and 
fastened  them  to  a  rt)pe  that  was  tied  to  the  liack, 
and  hanging  down  over  the  bank. 

He  cut  steps  in  the  bank  the  evening  before  so 
that  he  could  pull  up  by  the  rope  which  was  tied 
to  the  hack,  and  not  go  aiound  to  the  head  of  the 
gorge.  He  came  back  and  told  me  of  the  danger 
we  were  in  of  being  covered  there  with  snow  before 
morning.  About  six  o'clock  we  got  out  and  Ander- 
son said  there  Avas  no  use  to  try  to  stay  here,  the 
horses  are  nearly  frozen,  and  the  Avind  is  bloAving 
and  it  is  still  snoAving,  and  Ave  Avill  surely  ])erish  if 
Ave  stay  here.  I  w^nt  out  and  the  ice  was  frozen 
OA'er  the  horses  eyes  and  faces  until  they  could  not 
see  and  tliey  AAere  nearly  chilled  to  death.  1  rubl)ed 
the  ice  off  of  their  eyes  and  faces  Avith  my  fur  gloves. 
So  Ave  decided  to  try  and  reach  the  house  whore  Ave 
had  Avateied  the  night  before.  "We  led  tin*  horses 
out  the  AV.iy  Ave  had  taken  them  doAvn  into  the  goi-ge. 
They  seemed  to  understand  and  seemed  an.\ions  to 
get  out  of  there.  Bertha  stayed  in  the  tent  Avhile 
the  others  hel]>ed  to  get  the  hack  i-eady.  The  snow 
came  Avith  great  force,  and  felt  like  shot  striking 
our  faces.  We  could  not  see  ten  feet  before  us  on 
account  of  the  blinding  snoAV.  It  was  as  hard  a 
blizzaid  as  I  oA'er  saAv.  Our  horses  were  only  three 
years  old.  and  it  seemed  unreasonable  to  think  that 
♦^hey  <()uld  pull  a  i)oMnd  in  their  chilled  ((Midilidn. 


198  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

It  took  somo  tinio  to  <;et  the  frozen  harness  on  them. 
We  were  gone  so  long  that  Bertha  became  uneasy, 
and  thought  that  we  were  lost  and  that  she  was  left 
there  to  be  covered  up  in  the  snow.  We  heard 
her  screaming,  and  Anderson  went  to  the  top  of 
the  bank  and  answered  her.  He  told  her  to  get 
]iold  of  the  rope,  which  she  did,  and  we  pulled  her 
up  the  bank,  leaving  our  tents  and  bedding  and  all 
behind,  we  started  in  the  direction  the  storm  was 
going  (it  Avould  have  been  impossible  to  have  gone 
against  it),  and  drove  a  mile  and  a  half  and  came 
to  the  house.  It  was  blasted  out  of  rock  in  the  side 
of  a  hill.  Half  of  it  was  rock  and  it  was  finished 
out  with  lumber.  They  had  then  blasted  out  anoth- 
er room  fourteen  feat  square  back  of  this  one  out  of 
solid  rock.  The  snow  was  banked  around  the  doors 
and  windows  until  you  could  scarcely  see  the  win- 
dow. 

These  people  gave  us  a  hearty  welcome.  They 
put  our  horses  in  a  rock  stable.  They  had  a  fire 
place  and  burned  skeet  roots.  It  made  a  very  hot 
fire.  The  man  was  in  the  back  part  of  the  house 
getting  breakfast.  His  wife  was  lying  in  bed,  as 
she  was  in  poor  health.  There  were  six  children. 
After  we  all  came  in  and  were  sitting  by  the  fire 
the  snow  commenced  to  melt  and  run  down  on  the 
dirt  floor,  then  they  brought  in  a  cat  and  melted 
the  snow  off  of  her  and  put  it  in  bed  with  the  wom- 
an. Next  they  brought  in  the  dog  and  it  was  thawed 
out.  Then  the  eight-year-old  boy  and  the  twelve- 
year-old  girl  began  to  make  trouble  about  their 
lambs.  They  finally  got  the  consent  of  the  mother 
to  go  bring  them  in.  They  dug  their  way  through 
the  snow  and  after  awhile  they  came  in  with  five 
sheep  that  had  been  covered  up  in  a  tin  tank  that 
they  had  out  in  the  yard  somewhere.  They  had 
been  well  covered  and  fared  well,  but  they  brought 
them  into  the  house.     Here  was  now  the  cat,  the 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  199 

dog,  the  five  sheep  and  the  family  and  our  company 
housed  up  together. 

The  man  invited  us  out  to  breakfast.  We  rel- 
ished everything  and  Avere  Avclcoiiie  and  made  to 
feel  free.  They  all  seemed  to  be  really  glad  that  we 
had  come.  They  had  seen  us  pass  there  the  evening 
befoie  and  supposed  that  Ave  had  fiozen. 

After  breakfast  the  man  and  I  were  talking  in 
the  front  room.  I  heard  playing  on  string  instru- 
ments. He  called  to  them  to  put  them  up.  I  heard 
Anderson  begging  them  to  go  ahead  and  play.  I 
told  him  to  let  them  play.  They  started  to  playing. 
They  all  played  extremely  well — were  natural  musi- 
cians. A\'e  soon  leaiiicd  tliat  the  mother  was  a 
graduate  from  a  Philadelphia  university.  The  fath- 
er was  an  intelligent  man  and  the  children  were 
very  intelligent.  They  had  been  very  wealthy,  h*ad 
met  with  misfortune  and  lost  their  wealth.  They 
had  gone  out  there  and  entered  that  land  on  the 
Pecos  Kiver,  made  their  hou.'^e  in  that  blufif,  and 
were  making  a  good  living  taking  care  of  sheep  for 
the  sheep  men,  and  caring  for  the  bnnbs. 

After  playing  the  instruments  for  a  wliile,  one 
of  the  little  girls  stepped  out  and  commenced  danc- 
ing; they  soon  became  tired' of  that.  I  suggested 
that  we  sing  some.  We  took  out  our  song  books, 
commenced  singing,  and  they  joined  right  in  with 
the  rest  of  the  company.  Finally  I  said  to  them, 
we  have  had  instrumental  music,  dancing  and  sing- 
ing. I  am  a  preacher  and  I  suggest  that  Ave  noAV 
haA'e  some  preaching.  I  preached  to  them;  they  all 
listened  A'ery  attentively.  We  leained  that  they  all 
belonged  to  the  Campbellite  church.  The  young 
man  said  he  used  to  be  religious,  but  he  left  his 
religion  hanging  on  the  Texas  line  Avhen  lie  came 
over  and  did  not  try  to  bring  it  to  Ncav  Mexico  Avith 
him.  They  took  their  wagon  an  nuiles  and  went 
back  to  Avhere  we  had  camped  and  dug  out  all  our 


200  HOW   I   GOT  FAITH 

(•ain[)  out  lit  tluit  tlic.v  could  tiiid  jiud  biouuiit  it  to 
the  liouso. 

The  snow  melted  fast,  and  avc  Ix'^au  preparing 
to  start  the  next  Hiorniu<i-.  I  asked  them  how  mueh 
we  owed  them.  They  said  we  owed  them  nothing, 
that  they  felt  indebted  to  us.  We  told  them  to  be 
sure  to  visit  us  when  they  came  to  RosAvell.  The 
boys  have  visited  us  several  times  since,  but  we  have 
never  been  out  on  that  road  since  that  time. 

This  trip  satisfied  Anderson.  He  said  that  he 
did  not  want  any  moie  of  New  Mexico,  he  was  going 
to  hunt  some  other  country. 

We  continued  our  regular  meetings  in  the  hall 
on  Main  street  until  in  March.  We  borrowed  mon- 
ey and  bought  a  tent  and  put  it  up :  bought  lumber 
on  credit  and  put  a  floor  in  it,  and  wired  it  for 
electric  lights.  When  we  commenced  our  meetings 
in  •the  hall  we  had  no  seats.  Brother  Arney  was  a 
mechanic  and  worked  in  a  planing  mill.  We  hauled 
'  lumber  and  he  cut  it  out  for  the  seats  and  hauled 
it  down  to  the  hall  in  his  little  one  horse  hack.  At 
night  we  would  make  seats.  As  there  were  only 
two  brethern  besides  myself — the  sisters  would  help 
too — those  who  could  drive  nails  would  do  that, 
while  the  brethern  Avould  saw  and  fit  the  boards.  In 
this  way  we  Avorked  tmtil  Ave  had  seats  to  seat  the 
hall.  When  we  had  our  tent  ready  we  moved  the 
seats  from  the  hall,  and  have  them  uoav  in  our  meet- 
ing house. 

The  next  overland  trip  we  made  Avas  in  April, 
1912.  We  did  not  suffer  for  Avater  this  trip  so  much, 
as  it  was  across  a  part  of  the  country  where  there 
were  Avindmills,  and  we  had  plenty  of  water,  and 
the  Asind  blew  quite  hard.  On  this  trip  we  went 
through  seven  miles  of  sand,  almost  wagon  hub 
deep.  The  horses  could  only  go  eight  or  ten  feet 
at  a  time.  Most  all  of  the  company  walked.  One 
evening  we  passed  through  a  part  of  the  country 
where  there  were  a  ureat  manv  vacant  houses — the 


now  I  (JOT  I  AiTii  201 

people  had  moved  away.  WC  saw  a  sioiin  coiniiit:, 
and  we  started  towards  a  house  thai  seeined  to  he 
empty;  when  we  came  to  it  we  found  it  to  he  htcked. 
Our  only  ehance  was  to  iio  into  the  ham.  1  |iiii  a 
pole  across  one  side  of  the  harn,  ])ut  the  horses 
in  one  end  of  the  barn  and  we  camped  in  tlie  other. 
This  storm  Avas  wind  and  rain.  Ahout  the  time  we 
had  linislied  eatinu  our  suinier,  the  wind  lih'W  the 
light  otit,  and  we  were  h'ft  in  the  dark,  oidy  as  we 
would  iiather  nj)  corn  stalks  that  AVere  in  the  harn 
and  liiiht  them. 

We  made  the  trip  throii.mh  to  the  place  ai>p(»int«'d 
all  ricjht.  Had  a  very  successful  meetinu.  The  jx'o- 
ple  became  interested  in  the  truth.  I  met  some 
people  there  that  had  been  my  neiuhhors  when  I 
was  a  young  man.  One  night  while  preaching  I 
told  of  an  incident  that  occurred  in  Calvert  City. 
Kentucky,  of  a  pai-alyzed  woman  wlio  was  healed. 
She  was  a  very  ignorant  woman.  The  doct(H- 
brought  her  to  where  1  was  ]>reaching  and  pushed 
her  in  at  the  door.  The  doctor  gave  her  a  note  to 
give  to  me.  I  read  it  aloud  to  the  congregation.  It 
was  as  follows:  "•>rr.  Brown,  heal  this  woman." 
It  was  signed  Dr.  -Tones.  I  felt  that  the  note  was 
from  the  devil,  but  God  assured  me  from  heaven 
that  he  would  heal  the  woman.  T  talk(Ml  to  her  a 
while,  told  her  to  listen  to  the  ])reaching.  She 
hnew  nothing  about  (Jod,  had  never  been  to  meet- 
ing before,  and  she  was  very  ragged  and  dirty. 

After  preaching  she  fell  on  her  knees;  a  nundM'r 
came  to  the  altar.  When  T  went  to  her  she  was 
praying  for  salvation.  1  jigreed  in  luayer  with 
her,  soon  she  jum])e(l  to  her  feet  clap]»ing  her  hands 
above  her  head  and  said  the  work  was  d«me.  As  1 
was  relating  this  incident  1  noticed  a  young  man 
in  the  congregation  that  was  |)aying  close  at  tent  ion. 
and  was  making  some  demonstrations  as  though 
sanctioning  what  I  was  saying.  When  I  dismissed 
the  meeting  he  rame  and  shook  hands  with  un\  and 
said,  ^'r»rother  Urown,  1  was  a  witness  of  that  case 


202  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

of  healiiiii  you  told  of  in  your  sermon.  I  knew  the 
woman  and  he  calhul  her  name."  He  said  he  was 
only  a  boy  when  this  oecurred,  but  he  assured  the 
people  that  it  was  true.  This  man  lived  in  that 
community  and  was  respected  by  the  people,  and 
they  had  confidence  in  him  and  they  believed  what 
he  said 

After  the  meeting-  closed  we  started  back  home. 
Had  no  serious  accident.  Had  considerable  sand  to 
go  through,  but  no  damage  done.  We  returned 
safely,  and  held  another  meeting  in  our  tent,  and 
visited  over  the  town  during  the  winter  and  spring. 
We  put  literature  all  over  the  town  and  visited 
about  five  hundred  homes.  God  began  to  save  the 
people,  others  began  to  be  encouraged,  and  the  Lord 
added  to  the  church  such  as  should  be  saved. 

The  next  overland  trip  was  to  the  West  through 
the  mountains.  This  trip  was  quite  different  from 
the  other  trips.  A  great  part  of  the  way  was  by 
beautiful  brooks,  through  timber  and  through  the 
Indian  Reservation.  This  is  a  very  beautiful  place. 
We  crossed  the  summit,  over  nine  thousand  feet 
high.  It  was  the  first  experience  some  of  our  com- 
pany had  had  vdth  Indians.  We  had  to  camp  in  the 
Indian  Reservation  one  night,  and  some  of  our  com- 
pany w^ere  very  uneasy.  No  one  molested  us  in  the 
least. 

We  reached  Tularosa,  New  Mexico  and  held  a 
meeting  there.  From  there  we  went  to  Alamagor- 
do.  Then  we  came  back  to  Tularosa,  held  a  few  ser- 
vices and  baptized  those  who  were  saved  at  Alama- 
gordo,  as  there  was  no  water  for  baptizing  at  Alam- 
agordo. 

AVe  have  had  a  good  many  experiences  in  New 
Mexico.  Any  one  desiring  to  prepare  for  the  heath- 
en lands,  or  foreign  countries,  would  do  well  to  have 
a  little  experience  in  New  Mexico.  Here  they  could 
learn  self  sacrifice:  learn  what  it  means  to  want 


HOW  I  (JOT   FAITH  203 

things  and  cannot  get  tlu'iii :  know  how  to  he  s;iiis- 
fied  with  Avliat  they  get. 

Our  next  trip  overhmd  was  oui  in  a  western 
direction,  through  ('apitan  mountains  and  the 
towns  of  Capitan,  Lincoln  and  (Jarrizozo,  and 
across  the  Malipies.  The  Malipies  is  quite  a  scene 
to  those  who  liave  never  witnessed  anything  like 
this.  There  seemed  to  have  V»een  a  volcano  there 
and  the  rocks  had  melted  and  run  out  a  distance 
of  about  thirty  or  thirty-five  ndles,  and  from  a 
quarter  to  a  ndle  wide.  I  can  describe  it  best  by  say- 
ing it  looked  like  a  peison  had  taken  a  bu<ket  of 
coal  and  scattered  it  along  in  a  row.  There  was  a 
road  made  through  the  malipies  which  we  trav- 
eled. 

Xext  we  came  to  Avhat  was  known  as  Mocking 
Bird  Gap.  We  traveled  for  ndles  without  seeing 
any  living  tlung,  not  even  a  bird,  or  creeping  thing ; 
nothing  but  the  barren  plains,  and  the  big  rough 
iron  looking  locks  of  the  ^Malipies.  Just  Ix't'ore 
reaching  the  Mocking  Bird  Gap  we  came  to  a  large 
water  tank.  In  the  East  we  call  them  ponds.  Here 
we  got  plenty  of  water  for  our  horses.  We  carried 
our  drinking  water  in  kegs  and  glass  bottles.  At 
the  Mocking  Bird  Gap  we  found  a  nice  well  where 
we  filled  our  water  vessels  with  drinking  water. 

We  went  on  by  way  of  Engle  and  to  Polomas 
Hot  Springs.  People  gather  here  from  everywhere. 
The  springs  are  owned  by  the  government.  They 
claim  that  there  have  been  some  remarkable  cures 
performed  there.  There  was  a  man  went  there  that 
had  been  a  cowboy;  we  became  acqiminted  with 
him  on  our  first  western  trip.  He  owned  a  nice 
farm  in  the  Hondo  valley;  had  plenty  of  hay  and 
feed  and  we  stayed  over  with  Mm  a  day  and  night, 
on  this  trip,  and  in  fact  we  stay  with  him  most 
every  time  we  pass  over  that  country.  He  had  a 
child  that  was  paralyzed  in  his  lower  lim])s.  The 
man  and  his  wife  wiMe  unsaved.     Thev  couM  not. 


Ii04  now   1   GOT  FAITH 

or  did  not,  tnist  tlie  Lord.  They  were  ready  to 
start  to  the  Hot  Springs  at  Las  Polonias,  and  Avent 
on  with  ns.  They  stayed  there  until  that  diild  had 
tAventy-one  baths,  and  the  child  Avent  aAvay  from 
there  Avalking.  This  is  the  only  case  that  I  wit- 
nessed. We  held  a  meeting  there.  After  we  start- 
ed the  meeting  there  I  was  called  home  to  pray 
for  a  man  AA'ho  had  been  saved,  but  had  gone  to 
drinking  and  had  become  devil  possessed.  I  prayed 
for  him,  and  he  was  delivered  and  got  saAcd.  After 
that  I  had  to  go  to  IMioenix,  Arizona,  to  help  my  son 
Anderson  in  a  meeting,  and  AAiiile  there  my  company 
left  the  springs  and  Avent  to  Elngie,  NeAV  Mexico, 
where  I  met  them. 

Xo  doubt  some  Avill  think  that  we  Avent  there 
for  our  health,  as  many  other  people  do,  but  we 
did  not  go  there  for  our  health.  We  went  there  to 
get  the  gospel  to  the  people.  There  Avas  a  business 
man  here  told  me  about  this  place;  that  it  would 
be  a  good  place  to  scatter  the  gospel,  as  people  go 
there  from  so  many  different  localities,  and  that 
they  had  no  preaching  there.  You  may  ask  the 
question.  Did  I  take  baths  while  there?  The  near- 
est T  came  to  bathing  in  the  spring  was  to  sit  on  the 
steps  and  bathe  my  feet  Avhen  they  needed  it.  The 
water  Avas  about  as  hot  as  I  could  stand  my  feet  in, 
AA^hen  I  first  put  them  into  the  Avater,  There  were 
a  number  there  who  accepted  the  truth.  They  have 
gone  to  different  parts  of  the  state.  We  keep  up 
correspondence  Avith  some  of  them. 

We  AA'ent  from  Engle  to  Las  Cruces.  ,Had  a  long 
drive  without  Avatei'.  We  saw  some  cowboys  driv- 
ing cattle,  asked  them  if  they  could  tell  us  where 
Ave  could  find  some  water  and  grain.  One  of  the 
men  told  us  a  route  we  could  go  that  would  take 
us  to  a  railroad  station,  where  we  could  get  water, 
but  he  did  not  knoAV  that  we  could  got  grain  there. 
But  he  directed  us  to  another  place  Avhich  he  said 
Avould  be  better.     Tt  was  twenty-two  miles  away. 


now  1  (ior  FA  nil  205 

Ho  told  us  he  lived  llieie.  but  no  one  was  at  home; 
that  there  Avas  plenty  to  eat  and  for  us  to  lio  in  aiul 
cook  and  make  ourselves  at  home.  Also,  ihcic  was 
ph'iity  of  1('(m1  foi-  our  lioi-scs.  to  take  what  we  want- 
ed. 1  asked  liini  to  <»ive  me  his  address  oi'  the  man's 
address  who  owned  the  ranch  and  I  would  send  him 
the  money,  or  to  set  ihe  price  and  I  Avould  ]>ay  liim 
then.  He  said,  "No  pay  comini;.  (Jo  feed  your 
horses,  g.o  ri*iht  into  the  house  and  ct)ok  and  eat 
Avhat  you  find  that  you  want,  make  yourselves  at 
home."  We  hitched  both  teams  to  the  jjospel  waj;- 
tied  the  hack  beliind  and  all  tlie  company  ^ot  into 
th(Mvai>on  and  the  horses  struck  a  irol.  Drox'eiii  \]\o. 
direction  they  told  us  to  txo.  Just  about  five  o'clock 
we  came  in  sight  of  the  two  windmills  as  they  had 
described  to  us.  We  reached  the  ]>lace,  and  it  was 
just  as  they  had  des<    ibed  it. 

While  some  were  taking  care  of  the  liorses,  some 
were  looking  in  the  house  to  see  what  they  could 
find.  They  found  U\(>  or  tlii-ee  big  buckets  of  cream 
ready  to  churn.  I  found  three-(piaiters  of  a  beef 
hanging  out  in  a  litt'e  shed.  They  found  ]»lenty  of 
lard  and  flour.  Soon  one  of  the  com])any  churned, 
one  made  the  biscuits,  and  so  on.  It  was  not  long 
until  we  liad  an  ap])etizing  meal  prepare<l.  Hot 
biscuits,  fresh  butter,  beef  steak,  etc.  Tt  was  the 
best  meal  w'e  had  eaten  foi-  a  good  wliile.  ami  we 
enjoyed  it. 

(^)ne  of  the  gills  looked  on  the  dressei-  :iiul  saw 
a  picture,  whicli  she  recognized  as  being  a  buly  that 
she  had  met  at  Kiigle.  A  leftei-  was  laying  there 
Avhich  she  ]>icke(l  up  and  i-ead  and  ii  was  from  the 
lady  she  had  become  ac(|uaiuled  with,  and  ha<l  her 
a<ldress.  We  found  theii-  name  in  this  way.  ^Ve 
took  the  name  and  address.  I  Avrote  a  m)te  and  left 
it.  We  took  part  of  the  butter  we  had  churned.  I 
left  them  my  book,  "From  Infidelity  to  Christ ian- 
ity,"  ami  told  them  in  the  note  that  we  were  going 
to  Las  Ci-uces,  and  what  our  business  was:  invited 


200  HOW  I   GOT    FAITH 

thciii  to  come  to  the  meeting ;  if  they  could  not  come 
to  write  me  and  tell  me  how  much  I  owed  them 
and  T  would  paj'  them.  We  sent  them  the  Gospel 
Trumpet  lor  three  months. 

The  next  morning  we  started  on  our  journey 
and  drove  until  afternoon  to  get  a  stopping  place 
to  camp  for  dinner.  After  dinner  we  started  on 
our  journey  and  had  gone  some  distance  when  it 
was  found  that  we  liad  lost  some  things  out  of  our 
hack.  Brother  Hubbard  Knight  hitched  his  team 
to  the  hack  and  they  went  back  to  hunt  for  the 
things,  I  took  the  gospel  wagon  and  the  company 
and  Avent  on  to  Las  Cruces.  We  reached  There  and 
found  a  place  to  camp.  We  had  not  been  camped 
long  until  Brother  Knight  came  in  with  our  lost 
articles. 

We  reached  Las  Cruces  on  Saturday  night.  An 
old  gentleman  that  we  had  met  at  the  hot  springs 
came  to  where  we  were.  He  lived  near  by  and  was 
acquainted  with  everybody.  He  took  me  in  his 
buggy  and  drove  around  over  town  trying  to  get  a 
place  to  preach.  Went  to  see  about  the  Armory 
building.  They  wanted  eight  dollars  per  night  for 
that.  We  decided  that  this  was  too  much  to  pay 
for  the  prospect  of  getting  a  congregation,  as  a 
good  proportion  of  the  population  were  Mexicans, 
so  we  preached  on. the  streets  there  Sunday  night. 
This  old  gentleman's  name  was  Snow.  He  lived 
with  his  son  out  near  Mesilla  Park,  which  was  three 
miles  from  Las  Cruces.  He  went  home  and  secured 
the  school  house  for  us  at  that  place,  and  phoned 
back  to  us  to  come  out  there  and  hold  a  meeting. 
We  went  and  had  good  crowds  and  good  interest. 

I  was  called  away  from  there  to  go  to  Oklahoma 
to  pray  for  a  brother  that  had  cancer.  Came  back 
by  Eoswell,  attended  to  some  business  there.  My 
company  went  from  Mesilla  Park  to  another  place 
which  was  twenty-one  miles  west  of  El  Paso,  where 
an  old  ladv  lived  that  we  became  acquainted  T\4th 


now   I  COT  FAITH  207 

while  at  the  Hot*  Springs.  They  let  them  have  the 
use  of  the  Methodist  meeting  house  and  they  had 
good  interest  in  the  meeting,  met  me  at  El  I'aso, 
Texas. 

We  went  from  El  Paso  to  Tularosa  by  way  of 
Alamagordo.  We  lost  our  direction  and  came 
through  forty  miles  of  sand.  It  rained  on  us  for 
two  days  and  nights.  We  had  a  number  of  experi- 
ences which  were  quite  interesting  but  too  tedious 
to  mention. 

On  arriving  at  Tularosa  we  had  a  few  services. 
Left  there  and  reached  Roswell  on  Thanksgiving 
Day  in  time  for  dinner. 

The  Lord  began  to  move  on  my  heart  that  it  was 
now  time  to  commence  a  work  which  he  had  laid 
on  my  heart  many  years  ago.  Even  l)efoi-e  I  was 
conveited  I  was  anxious  to  start  an  orphans"  home. 
The  business  I  followed  was  such  as  to  throw  me 
in  places  where  I  saw  hungry,  naked  children  in 
need  of  care,  and  no  one  to  care  for  them.  Since 
I  have  met  the  saints  and  in  my  active  traveling  I 
have  seen  the  great  need  of  saints  schools.  The 
Loi'd  laid  it  on  my  heart  and  nnnd  to  preach  on 
this  line  and  encourage  people  to  the  point  to  where 
they  would  see  the  needs  of  which  I  have  spoken 
in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter. 

I  made  an  attempt  to  start  a  school  some  years 
before,  but  was  discouraged  by  some  bi-etliern.  and 
defeated  in  my  ])lans  of  getting  hold  of  the  property 
Avliicli  T  had  desired,  and  did  not  start  the  school. 

In  Septemlx'r,  1!)12,  I  started  a  school  in  our 
tabernacle  here  in  Roswell.  Had  one  teacher  and 
there  were  sixty  pupils  enrolled  during  the  school, 
but  some  did  not  go  long,  as  they  moved  away. 
But  we  had  an  average  of  thirty-five  pupils  enrolled. 
The  school  was  a  success  and  gave  general  satis- 
faction. Sinners  were  well  pleased  that  sent  chil- 
dren to  the  school,     ^fanv  became  intei-estod  in  the 


208  HOW    [    COT    FAITH 

truth,  and  it  was  quite  an  advertisement  for  the 
work. 

In  the  sprini*  of  1913,  the  Lord  began  to  provick 
for  a  house  for  meeting  and  school  purposes.  Tlie 
way  Avas  opened  up  for  us  to  borrow  sixteen  hun- 
dred dollars.  One  thousand  dollars  on  five  years 
time  at  six  jjer  cent  interest;  six  hundred  dollars 
on  three  years  time  without  any  interest.  We 
bought  one  and  a  half  lots  for  one  thousand  dol- 
lars ;  gave  a  brother  the  contract  for  putting  up  the 
house  for  eleven  hundred  seventy-two  dollars.  There 
were  some  additional  improvements  that  were  not 
mentioned  in  the  contract,  which  made  twelve  hun- 
dred dollars.  AVe  made  a  ''Turnkey  Contract"  Avith 
him,  the  house  was  to  be  ready  in  thirty  days. 
Thei-e  had  to  be  six  hundred  dollars  raised  to  meet 
our  contract. 

I  wrote  a  rei:)ort  to  the  Gospel  Trumpet  stating 
what  we  had  done  and  asking  all  Avho  were  inter- 
ested in  this  Avork,  and  the  salvation  of  -iouls  and 
training  children  for  God  to  send  in  their  dona- 
tions by  that  time.  By  the  time  my  report  reached 
the  Trumx^et  office,  the  counsel  held  by  the  Mis- 
sionary Committee  had  decided  to  not  allow  any 
more  calls  for  money  to  go  through  the  Gospel 
Trumpet  until  the  buildings  already  under  contract 
had  been  completed.  It  Avas  nearly  time  that  the 
money  was  to  be  paic  before  I  received  notice  from 
the  office  that  they  could  not  permit  my  report  to 
go  thi'ongh. 

My  company  of  workers  and  I  were  out  in  meet- 
ing AA'hen  I  received  this  notice.  I  told  them  that 
now  it  was  God  entirely  to  depend  on,  and  to  lose 
sight  of  man,  and  that  God  would  move  in  some 
way ;  that  God  could  make  a  way  where  there  was 
no  way;  that  the  cause  Avould  not  be  reproached; 
and  that  we  have  the  use  of  the  house. 

The  time  came  that  I  was  to  be  at  home  to  re- 
ceiA^e  the  house.    As  yet  there  was  not  a  dollar  in 


now    I   GOT  FAITH  2()J 

sight;  but  when  the  time  came  the  money  was  ])i'e- 
paied  and  the  debt  was  met  and  the  house  received. 
God  got  gloi-y.  and  the  devil  was  defeated. 

When  1  was  at  \ndersoii,  Indiana,  at  the  cjinip 
meeting  I  announced  from  the  pulpit  that  a\ c  were 
in  need  of  scliool  teachers  to  conduct  tlie  sclioos 
Avhich  I  expected  to  start  the  tirst  of  SSeptend)er. 
That  any  one  who  was  present  that  was  mterested 
to  corresj)ond  witli  me  or  talk  to  me  ]K'rson;illy. 

When  I  came  out  of  the  anditorium  tlier<'  was 
a  brother  came  to  me  and  introduced  himself  and 
said  my  announcement  had  appealed  to  hiri,  and 
God  touched  his  heart,  and  (}od  said  to  him,  '*Tliat 
is  your  o]>portnnitv.""  lie  said  tliat  he  liad  l»eeu 
praying  for  an  opjjortunity  of  lliat  kind.  That  lie 
had  qualified  himself  for  that  business,  and  was  cap- 
able of  teaching  all  the  l)ran(hes.  We  held  (piite  a 
long  conversation.  He  told  me  his  condition,  that 
he  had  jnst  come  out  of  llabylon.  ;  Ihat  lliis  was 
his  first  trip  to  a  saints  cam])-meeting,  and  his  fii-st 
introduction  to  the  saints:  that  he  intended  to  l)e 
trne  to  God.  I  said  to  liim  we  will  hold  it  before 
God  and  if  he  still  impresses  you  to  come,  and  T 
still  feel  like  it  is  of  God  you  come.  He  came  witli 
me  to  St.  Louis  an<l  there  Ave  parted  with  the  nn- 
derstanding  that  we  would  kee])  the  m:itter  before 
God.  Also  that  we  would  ;isk  the  Lord  l<>  liel!>  his 
wife  to  be  willing  to  come  with  him.  W'e  sdoii 
heard  fioiii  him  saying  lliiit  his  wife  li;i<l  L:i\»'ii  Ikt 
consent  and  was  willing  to  come,  ^^'e  k(  pi  up  a 
coi-respondenee  with  him.  He  told  us  that  he  was 
readv  with  the  exce])tion  of  selling  his  propeity. 
T  wired  him  to  know  how  mn<h  money  he  ne«'ded. 
He  told  me  fifty  dollai-s.  I  ])nl  the  (nnltcr  before 
the  c(mgreg;iti()n,  as  the  camj)  meeting  a\;is  going 
on.  The  money  w:is  made  uj)  in  a  few  minutes.  ;ind 
I  wired  it  back  to  him.  1  (•orres])on<led  with  a  sis- 
ter in   Oklahoniii,  :iih1  she  felt  the  Lord's  hand  on 


210  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

lier  to  come.  Before  the  camp  meeting  was  over 
they  both  were  here. 

The  school  began  the  first  of  September.  There 
are  pupils  here  from,  Tennessee,  Louisiana,  Cali- 
fornia, and  from  near  the  Arizona  line  in  New 
Mexico,  three  hundred  fifty  miles  west  of  Roswell. 
There  are  something  over  fifty  pupils  enrolJed.  We 
have  three  teachers  and  the  school  is  prospering 
nicely.  We  board  the  pupils  from  a  distance.  I 
am  sure  God's  hand  is  on  the  work. 

AVe  still  owe  sixteen  hundred  dollars  on  the 
house.  We  desire  every  individual  that  has  known 
the  Avorth  of  prayer,  when  you  read  this,  to  ask  God 
to  move  in  some  way  that  this  building  may  be  paid 
for.  That  God  may  be  glorified,  and  reproach  be 
kept  from  the  w^ork  of  Christ,  and  the  work  go  on 
in  Roswell. 

The  first  part  of  April,  1913,  Brother  Ed  Har- 
ding, wife  and  baby,  from  Hickman,  Kentucky,  Sis- 
ters Lillian  and  Bertha  Brown,  Sister  Annie  Phil- 
lips and  myself,  started  on  an  overland  ti'ip.  We 
expected  to  follow  the  Santa  Fe  Railway,  and  hold 
meetings  in  the  different  towns  to  Albuquerque. 

The  first  night  T\-e  camped  at  a  spring,  the  next 
day  at  noon  we  camped  at  tAvo  windmills.  Expect- 
ed to  camp  that  night  at  a  lake,  which  we  did,  but 
wiien  we  reached  the  lake  there  was  no  Avater,  and 
our  horses  gave  us  a  great  deal  of  trouble  that  niglit. 
The  next  morning,  as  usual,  I  turned  them  loose  to 
graze  until  we  could  get  their  feed  ready,  and  they 
ran  off.  The  tAvo  horses  Avliich  I  had  raised  I  had 
trained  to  come  for  calling  the  same  as  a  person 
would  call  children.  I  called  them  and  one  came 
back,  but  the  other  one  folloAved  the  other  horses 
on.  Brother  Harding  got  on  this  horse,  followed 
the  other  horses  some  distance  and  caught  them. 
When  he  came  back  Ave  ate  our  breakfast  and  droA^e 
until  noon  before  we  found  any  w^ater.  We  turned 
and  Avent  off"  of  our  road  one  mile  and  found  water 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  211 

enough  to  get  our  dinner,  and  Brother  Harding  and 
I  took  the  liorses  on  a  niile  further  to  where  there 
was  a  well  of  water. 

The  next  night  we  reached  a  sand  bed  seven 
miles  wide.  The  only  place  tliat  we  could  tind 
solid  enough  to  hold  our  tent  stakes  was  right  in  the 
road.  We  sat  up  our  three  tents  in  a  row  in  the  road. 
Biother  Harding  and  I  took  the  horses  one  and  a 
halt  miles  to  water.  Dark  overtook  us  before  we 
got  back  and  the  sand  storm  arose.  By  the  time 
we  reached  the  tents  the  sisters  were  having  a  good 
deal  of  trouble  staking  the  tents  down  so  they  would 
not  blow  away.  The  wind  was  coming  light  acioss 
the  seven  miles  of  sand  at  great  speed.  The  sand 
was  from  six  inches  to  four  feet  deep,  or  maybe 
deeper  where  it  had  piled  up.  It  was  a  very  dis- 
agreeable place  to  <nit  supper.  We  ate  our  supjxT 
by  taking  a  piece  of  rabbit  and  bread  in  our  haiuls 
and  keeping  the  rabbit  and  all  Ave  had  for  sui)per 
covered  closely  except  what  we  had  in  our  hands. 
We  put  our  horses  in  a  lot  close  by.  The  wind 
kept  getting  higher,  and  we  staked  our  wagon 
down.  We  had  a  square  topped  Avagon  which  was 
high  enough  to  stand  in.  \Ve  had  some  rings  in 
each  corner  at  the  top  and  large  iron  stakes  that 
we  di'ove  in  The  gi-ound  and  anchored  the  wagon  to 
the  ground  so  that  it  could  not  blow  over.  AVe  decid- 
ed that  we  would  all  get  into  the  Avagon  and  stay 
there  to  be  protected  fi'oni  tlie  Avind.  We  sat  there 
foi*  some  time,  and  I  began  to  get  sleepy,  and  I 
told  them  that  I  was  going  to  my  tent,  an<l  put 
myself  in  the  hands  of  God  and  go  to  sleep.  The 
lest  that  slept  in  tents  Avent  to  their  tents  also. 
When  T  got  to  my  bed  it  Avas  covere<l  Avith  sand.  T 
tuined  the  covers  back  and  got  into  bed.  That 
night  I  dreamed  that  my  teeth  had  come  out,  and 
ihev  gave  me  a  great  deal  of  troubhv  That  they 
Avere  choking  me  and  smothei'ing  me  to  death.  I 
awoke  and  iiiv  nose  and  month  were  so  full  of  sand 


212  HOW    I    GOT   FAITH 

1  ionld  scarcely  bicallie.  There  was  no  serious 
damage  done. 

We  (loiibled  teams  the  next  morning  and  hitched 
to  the  Avagon  and  trailed  tlie  liack  on  l)eliiiid.  We 
all  got  into  the  wagon  and  drove  tlirough  the  seven 
miles  of  sand,  and  reached  a  cattle  rancli  at  noon. 
We  camped  then  and  took  dinner. 

iiie  next  night  we  reached  the  town  of  Klida. 
People  came  running  to  the  wagon  wanting  to 
know  what  we  had  to  sell,  and  what  we  were  doing. 
I  told  them  that  Ave  had  the  gospel,  not  to  sell,  but 
to  give  away.  That  Ave  had  come  to  that  town  to 
hold  a  meeting.  That  Ave  expected  to  hold  it  if  Ave 
had  to  preach  on  the  streets.  Seemingly  every  Avay 
was  closed  up  against  us,  but  finally  through  the 
kindness  of  the  First  National  Bank  I  obtained  in- 
formation that  enabled  me  to  get  a  school  house. 
We  began  meeting,  interest  increased  and  the  peo- 
ple became  Aery  much  interested.  I  Avas  called 
away  to  pray  for  the  sick,  and  Avliile  away  one  of 
the  trustees  notified  the  company  that  they  Avould 
have  to  give  possession  of  the  house.  They  begged 
permission  to  stay  until  I  returned,  which  was 
granted.  Wlien  I  came  back  they  decided  to  let  us 
stay  until  Sunday  night,  and  no  longer.  We  had 
to  close  the  meeting,  leaving  good  interest  in  the 
meeting.  I  forgot  to  say  in  the  beginning  of  this 
account  of  the  meeting  that  I  preached  my  first 
sermon,  by  perndssion,  on  the  porch  of  the  State 
Bank.  CroAvds  of  people  gathered  in  the  street, 
and  this  helped  us  to  get  a  house.  But  we  could 
get  no  opening  after  they  shut  us  out  of  the  school 
house. 

You  may  be  anxious  to  knoAV  AA'hat  our  dona- 
tion AA^as  for  the  ten  days  meeting  at  Elida.  It  Avas 
as  follows:  One  sack  of  flour,  some  butter,  milk 
and  eggs,  and  a  dressed  rabbit.  The  man  avIio  was 
supposed  to  be  the  poorest  man  in  Elida  gave  us 
one  dollar,  said  he  AA'ished  it  Avas  ten,  and  said  he 


now   1  GOT  FAITH  I'l-"! 

eiijovcil  llie  Irulli.  lie  cci-lniiilv  sliowcd  ihc  spiiii 
of  Ciiiisl.  His  wile  was  (k-ad,  and  lie  had  three  or 
lour  children  to  eare  lor.  lie  insisted  thai  we  ac- 
cept the  donation.  Tliat  the  Lord  liad  led  iiim  to 
jiive  it. 

When  we  reached  J'ortales  we  won  I'avor  wiih 
the  sheriff,  and  he  gave  us  permission  to  |»ic;i(  h  in 
the  court  house.  1  Avas  doinjii  some  I  lading  ai  a 
grocery  store.  A  niindjer  of  peoi)le  beiian  lo  in- 
quire about  tlie  meeting,  and  where  we  were  going 
to  hold  it.  I  told  them  it  was  to  be  in  the  court -house. 
I  supj)osed.  One  in  the  crowd  spoke  and  said  liiai 
Ave  could  not  get  the  court  house,  lor  lie  tried  to 
get  it  and  ollered  to  pay  for  it,  and  the  sherilV  would 
not  let  them  have  it.  Otliers  began  talking  altoiit  it 
— I  said  nothing,  but  listened.  1  socu  saw  that  it 
Avould  bring  a  great  deal  of  opposition  and  j)erse- 
ciition  on  the  sherilf  in  case  we  used  the  court  house. 
1  Avent  to  th<*  sheritl's  home  to  talk  to  him  that 
night  concerning  the  matter.  He  said  th;ii  hr  had 
charge  of  the  Commercial  Club  Hall,  and  it  was 
partly  seated  Avith  rocking  cliairs  and  wired  for 
electric  lights  and  that  if  1  would  rather  have  it  he 
Avould  finisli  seating  the  hall,  or  1  could  have  the 
court  house,  Avhichever  1  desired.  I  told  him  that 
from  Avhal  I  had  heard  it  Avould  be  best  for  ns  not 
to  use  the  court  house.  He  tobl  me  thai  he  had  no 
use  for  their  sectism  ami  that  was  \\li\  he  had 
stopped  thetn  from  ])rea<hing  in  the  conii  house. 
We  took  the  liall.  lie  had  business  thai  ailia(  led 
his  attention,  ami  we  had  to  hire  chairs  lo  finish 
seating  the  Hall,  it  made  a  very  nice  |dace  lor 
meeting. 

The  Methodist  ( N»id'erence  was  in  session  at  tliat 
place.  They  advertised  (|nite  extensively,  ami  the 
devil  liindered  onr  meetinu  <  (Hisiderably.  There 
Avere  (luite  a  number  that  iieaid  the  |treachini:.  (>iir 
expenses  tliere  Avere  about  lliiilv  dollars  ;  our  d<>u;i- 
lions  about    se\(Mi   <lollais  and   some  |»r(i\isiou   and 


21.4  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

some  horse  feed.  I  failed  to  say  that  our  expenses 
at  Elida  were  about  twenty-one  dollars.  The  ex- 
penses of  the  two  meetings  Avere  about  fifty  dol- 
lars.   Donations  about  eight  dollars  in  cash. 

From  Portales  we  went  to  Clovis,  New  Mexico, 
where  Brother  Hammond  had  charge  of  the  work. 
They  had  a  hall  rejited  there.  A  man  who  was  a 
friend  to  the  truth  at  that  time  rented  a  house  for 
us  to  live  in,  and  paid  for  the  fuel  while  there  .  AVe 
had  good  interest,  a  few  got  saved,  and  several  bap- 
tized. Among  the  number  baptized  was  a  Free 
]\Iethodist  preacher,  w^ho  accepted  the  truth.  At 
this  place  our  expenses  and  donations  were  about 
equal.  We  went  from  Clovis,  New  Mexico,  to  New 
Hope,  eight  miles  out  in  the  country.  Here  we 
held  a  meeting,  and  the  Lord  sent  conviction  to  the 
hearts  of  the  people.  There  were  about  fifteen  con- 
versions there  during  the  time  I  was  there  and  at 
Clovis.  I  came  home  to  see  after  the  work,  saw 
that  moving  the  meetings  from  the  tent  to  the  new 
meeting  house,  and  other  things,  had  broken  the 
interest  until  the  congregations  were  getting  small 
and  the  interest  was  not  good.  We  decided  that  the 
best  thing  Ave  could  do  was  to  go  back  home  and 
look  after  the  congregation  and  spiritual  work  in 
Roswell.     So  we  left  New  Hope  and  came  home. 

On  our  w^ay  home  we  camped  for  dinner  near 
a  house  where  there  was  a  windmill  and  well.  While 
eating  dinner  an  old  man  came  out  and  began  to 
talk,  and  said  that  he  had  been  an  infidel  for  twen- 
ty-five years.  But  now  he  had  become  convinced 
by  reading  the  Bible  and  from  an  experience  he  had 
had  that  there  was  i^othing  to  infidelity,  and  there 
was  a  reality  in  salvation.  He  was  a  very  old  man. 
He  said  ho  had  heard  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Moody, 
Talmage,  Sam  Jones,  and  a  number  of  other  noted 
evangelists,  but  none  of  them  did  him  any  good.  He 
had  read  Voltaire's  and  Ingersolls  writings.  He 
had  been  in  many  dangerous  places  and  had  run 


now   1  GOT  FAITH  215 

juauy  risks,  but  ne\er  thought  of  dyiii"'.  but  one 
time.  Some  weeks  before  he  had  started  to  visit 
his  son  in  Texas.  Soon  after  he  slarled  home  he 
took  veiy  sick  on  the  train.  They  wired  for  a  phy- 
sician, who  came  out  on  the  tirst  train  and  met 
them,  and  stayed  on  the  train  until  they  reached 
^marillo.  He  got  better  and  came  back  liome  con- 
vinced tliat  there  was  a  reality  in  the  salvation  of 
the  Lord,  and  that  he  was  not  ready  to  die. 

They  invited  us  to  go  into  the  house  and  sing, 
and  we  all  Avent  in.  The  company  sang  and  played 
the  guitar,  organ  and  violin.  After  several  songs 
had  been  sung,  1  said,  "Let  us  have  prayer,"  Then 
I  preached  quite  a  sermon..  In  the  beginning  the 
old  lady  was  not  much  interested.  She  was  hard  of 
hearing.  One  of  the  sisters  told  lier  to  go  over  and 
fiit  close  to  me  so  she  could  hear  what  I  said.  After 
persuading  her  some  she  sat  where  she  could  hear 
me.  She  hollered  right  out  and  said,  "Vou  are 
pr(?acliing  the  truth,  that  is  Avhat  I  iK'lieved  all  the 
time,  but  1  never  heard  any  one  tell  it  that  way 
before.  If  you  stay  here  and  preach  we  will  get 
you  a  place  to  preach."  The  whole  family  became 
very  much  interested.  The  old  i)eople  would  weep 
and  tried  to  get  riglit  with  God. 

I  left  one  of  my  books  with  them,  and  some  other 
literature,  and  came  home,  and  we  have  never  heard 
from  them  since. 

We  found  a  number  of  cases  similar  to  iliis  in 
oi  r  overland  trips.  It  would  take  (piite  ;i  l>ook  to 
describe  all  the  experiences  wliich  we  liaxc  liad  at 
little  settlements  and  in  little  towns,  and  with 
what  is  known  as  '"dry  landers"  in  this  c(wniliy. 
They  are  i)eople  who  have  settled  on  ian<l,  and  could 
not  raise  anything  because  of  having  no  water,  and 
so  to  Koswell  or  some  other  town  durinu  the  linu' 
that  the.v  were  permitted  to  vncat*',  and  work  :ind 
get  enough  means  to  buy  provisions  to  keef)  alive 
until  the  next  vacati(»n.  'IMieir  luincipjil  food  is  what 


21(1  HOW  I  GOT  FAITII 

is  known  here  as  "frijolc  beans"  and  bread  and 
some  game  such  as  they  can  kill  on  the  plains,  rab- 
bits principally.  Some  of  them  eat  praiie  dogs, 
anyway  Ave  did.  Some  seemed  to  think  that  it  Avas 
terrible.  It  is  my  opinion  that  then^  are  a  number 
of  people  in  this  country  that  eat  them  but  are 
ashamed  to  tell  it  because  they  are  called  dog.  I 
ani  sure  if  they  were  called  squirrel  there  would  be 
many  of  them  eaten,  as  there  are  more  prarie  dogs 
than  any  other  game  out  here. 

1  forgot  to  say  on  this  trip  from  CloAis  to  Ros- 
Avell  Ave  had  some  experience  with  the  grasshoppers. 
Just  at  night  Ave  struck  a  section  of  the  country 
where  there  were  an  aAvful  amount  of  grasshoppers. 
1  have  heard  a  great  deal  about  grasshopi)ers,  and 
read  about  them  in  papers,  but  ncAer  saw  anything 
to  equal  Avhat  Avas  there.  The  ground  Avas  literally 
covered  A^ith  them.  As  the  team  Avould  Avalk  the 
grasshoppers  Avould  bound  up  about  as  high  as  the 
horses  knees  and  so  thick  that  you  could  not  see 
the  ground.  In  many  places  they  would  probably 
be  a  foot  high,  and  there  must  have  been  bushels 
of  them  in  a  pile.  There  Avas  no  other  chance  for 
us  to  get  to  sleep,  except  to  make  our  beds  on  them. 
It  Avould  be  impossible  to  get  a  place  large  enough 
to  sit  doAvn  on  the  ground  Avithout  silting  on  grass- 
hoijpers.  In  fact  the  horses  Avould  tread  on  them 
and  the  wagon  Avheels  Avould  i-un  on  them,  they 
were  so  thick  they  could  not  get  out  of  the  way. 
The  grasshoppers  had  eaten  CA^ery  particle  of  grass 
or  green  AA'eeds  that  could  be  found.  The  ground 
was  perfectly  bare  Avith  the  exception  of  the  grass- 
hoppers. 

There  Avas  a  cut  through  the  hill  for  the  railroad 
close  to  us,  and  the  grasshoppers  were  piled  in 
there  so  thick  that  the  train  had  to  cut  in  two  and 
had  to  take  part  of  it  through  at  a  time.  The  grass- 
hoppers Avould  mash  on  the  track  and  the  wheels 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITII  217 

of  the  ongine  would  slip  so  they  could  not  pull  tlui 
AThole  train  through  at  one  time. 

AVe  expected  to  have  great  annoyance  that  night, 
but  as  soon  as  dark  came  they  became  quiet.  Occa- 
sionally one  would  get  into  a  bed  or  under  a  pillow 
and  cause  some  one  to  think  a  rattlesnake  had  got- 
ten into  the  bed.  The  next  morning  they  weie  just 
as  thick  as  they  were  when  we  went  to  bed  the  night 
before. 

One  day  on  this  trip  from  Clovis  to  Roswell 
Brother  Plarding  was  in  the  wagon  and  said  that  he 
saw  some  kind  of  an  old  worm  looked  like  a  thous- 
and legged  worn).  That  he  tried  to  catch  it,  just 
got  his  fingers  on  it.  He  said  that  i1  was  awful 
cold,  but  that  it  got  away  from  him.  AVe  knew  at 
once  that  it  was  a  centipede,  and  told  him  so  and 
how  dangerous  they  are.  Finally  tho  excitement 
died  away  and  none  of  us  seemed  to  be  unc^asy. 

AMien  we  reached  home  Brother  and  Sistei- 1  rai- 
ding were  unloading  oui'  clothes  chest,  wliich  was 
made  in  the  wagon.  He  was  handing  out  the 
clothing,  and  she  Avas  taking  tliem  into  the  house. 
He  handed  out  a  bundle  of  clothing  with  a  full 
grown  centipede  laying  on  the  to])  of  it.  Sister 
Harding  gave  three  sci-eams,  left  the  wagon  with- 
out any  tiouble  and  ran  upstairs.  She  was  baldy 
frightened.  It  was  twenty-four  hours  or  more  be- 
fore she  got  over  it. 

On  another  tiip  when  Brother  Hubbard  Kniglit 
and  Avife  were  with  us.  Sisters  Lillian  ami  Bertha 
Brown  desired  to  sleep  out  like  the  cow  boys  and 
Avatch  the  stars,  no  tent  or  covering  except  their 
bedding.  We  camped  one  night  by  Avhat  was  called 
thi-ee  tanks,  in  the  T.ast  they  would  call  them  ])onds. 
It  was  quite  a  sandy  ])lace.  f.illian  and  Bertlia 
made  their  bed  on  the  sand.  1  jtut  up  my  tent  as 
usual.  Next  morning  they  began  to  l.-iki-  up  ilieir 
bed  and  they  found  two  centipedes  in  it.  I  Avent 
to  the  tank  io  fill  our  Avater  bottle.     1  heaid  a  noise 


2i<S  now   1  GOT  1  AlTll 

and  looked  to  see  wliat  was  the  trouble.  I  saw- 
there  was  a  great  commotion.  They  were  running 
and  jumping,  saw  one  woman  running  with  a  quilt, 
and  saw  there  was  great  excitement  about  some- 
thing. When  I  reached  the  camp  I  found  that  Lil- 
lian had  discovered  tliat  there  was  a  centipede  on 
her.  It  ran  all  over  her  body  next  to  the  flesh 
befor'c  they  could  get  it  off.  The  centipede  was  fully 
three  inches  long.  But  she  lifted  her  heart  in 
prayer  to  God  asking  him  to  not  let  it  do  her  any 
harm,  ajid  there  was  not  so  much  as  a  red  spot 
where  it  had  crawled  over  her  body. 

Some  people  do  not  know  the  danger  of  these 
centipedes.  They  have  a  row  of  legs  on  each  side 
of  their  l>ody.  Their  body  is  from  three  to  six  or 
seven  inches  long.  When  they  get  mashed  or  dis- 
turbed they  close  dow^n  with  their  legs,  sticking 
them  in  the  flesh  and  where  they  do  this  the  flesh 
rots  out.  We  have  seen  quite  a  number  of  people 
that  have  seen  the  effects  of  centipedes  crawling 
over  persons.  One  Avoman  told  us  of  a  baby  that 
was  almost  ruined  by  one  that  had  fastened  its 
claws  in  its  flesh.  The  babe  was  crying  and  it  was 
some  time  before  they  could  discover  what  was  the 
trouble  as  it  was  under  the  clothing  of  the  child. 
When  they  found  the  centipede  it  had  clasped  its 
r^aws  over  a  good  part  of  the  child's  body.  The 
flesh  where  it  had  crawled  rotted  off  to  the  bone. 

About  the  17th  of  September  Brother  Jim  Eden 
and  wife.  Sisters  Lillian  and  Bertha  Brown,  and 
Sister  Annie  Phillips  and  myself  started  overland 
to  Phoenix,  Arizona.  This  is  where  Ave  planned  to 
go.  Some  days  before  starting  I  Avas  very  much 
impressed  to  not  start.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the 
responsibilities  here  of  the  home  and  school  Avere 
greater  than  I  should  leave.  However,  when  we 
reached  Tularosa,  ]S^eAV  Mexico.  I  received  a  letter 
from  home  that  convinced  me  that  I  should  return. 

On  our  wav  doAvn  Ave  struck  the  Indian  Eeser- 


HOW    I    c;(/i'    FAITH  I'll) 

vatioii  about  tlie  middle  of  the  aftcjuooii.  Sister 
Eden  became  very  siek  and  «lie  and  liei-  husband  jjjot 
into  the  gospel  wagon  that  I  was  driving  in  order 
that  she  eould  lay  <l<)Wii.  The  girls  decided  that 
they  would  lake  the  hack  ami  go  ahead  of  ihe  wag- 
on, and  expected  to  reach  the  place  wheic  we  were 
going  to  camp  befoic  night  to  put  up  the  tents. 
They  did  not  realize  the  distance  when  they  stiirted. 
The}'  were  going  up  what  is  known  as  "Daik  Can- 
yon" where  the  pines  are  very  tall.  In  two  hours 
it  began  to  get  pretty  dark,  and  they  thought  about 
Indians.  Their  minds  were  on  Indians,  and  Ber- 
tha said,  '"Look  what  a  big  one,"  having  i-eference 
to  a  very  tall  tree  which  she  saw,  and  Annie  thought 
that  she  had  reference  to  an  Indian,  and  became 
very  mtich  excited  and  looked  eagerly  to  see  the  big 
Indian.  As  they  Avere  reaching  the  top  of  llie  Sum- 
mit it  was  nearly  dark.  They  saw  some  one  canii>ed 
and  were  very  nitich  frightened,  fearing  they  were 
Indians,  but  Avhen  they  came  to  where  they  were 
they  found  they  were  white  people.  It  was  only  a 
short  distance  to  the  well  where  Ave  Avere  to  camp. 
They  reached  there  and  began  to  put  up  the  tents 
and  prepare  supper.  Sister  Annie  Avas  trying  to  get 
her  bed  arianged.  Just  as  she  got  ]wv  bed  in  her 
tent  she  began  to  smother  auvl  lost  her  breath,  be- 
cause of  it  being  such  high  altitude.  lieitha  was 
out  getting  pine  knots  to  make  the  fire.  Lillian  lan 
to  her  and  began  to  unloose  her  clothinLi  fioni 
arouiul  her  neck,  bu!  saAV  that  did  no  good.  Lillian 
then  called  iiertha  and  they  had  i)rayer  and  (!od 
restored  her.  Anide  took  a  good  cry,  and  about  this 
time  Ave  reached  llieic.  They  had  llu'  tents  u|)  and 
supper  ready  when  we  got  to  the  canij*.  Ily  this 
time  it  Avas  very  dark.  When  the  girls  lefl  us  tln'y 
thought  it  Avas  only  about  live  miles  to  the  well, 
but  when  Ave  counted  it  up,  we  fonnd  that  it  w;is 
thirteen  miles  that  they  had  traveled. 

The  next  dav   we   reachcil  Tnlarosa   and   com- 


220  now  I  (;oT  faith 

menced  meeting.  In  a  few  days  we  decided  to  start 
back  home.  We  traveled  until  noon  the  first  day, 
on  our  Avay  home,  and  it  began  to  rain. 

At  four  o'clock  in  the  evening  we  reached  Mes- 
calero.  This  is  Avhere  the  Indian  School  is,  and  a 
number  of  Indian  camps.  These  are  just  as  they 
were  in  their  natural  life,  wigwams  and  blankets 
and  living  iust  like  they  lived  when  wild. 

On  the  25th  day  of  September  it  began  to  snow 
on  us.  Brother  Eden  and  some  of  the  rest  of  the 
company  drove  ahead  to  find  a  camping  place,  and 
finally  struck  camp.  When  Ave  overtook  them  they 
had  commenced  to  put  up  the  tents.  The  ground 
w^as  covered  "v\ith  snow.  We  had  to  make  our  beds 
down  on  the  snow.  We  built  a  campfire,  blanketed 
our  horses  and  tied  them  to  a  chain  that  we  had 
stretched  from  one  tree  to  another  and  fed  them. 
It  snowed  all  night.  The  next  morning  it  Avas  still 
snowing.  Breakfast  Avas  prepared,  and  eaten,  and 
AA^e  Avere  taking  down  our  tents  and  loading  our 
camp  outfit  Avhen  Ave  found  Ave  had  a  very  sick 
horse.  We  laid  hands  on  him,  prayed  for  him  and 
the  Lord  healed  him.  It  might  be  well  for  me  to 
give  a  little  of  my  experience  here,  as  many  have 
asked  me  if  the  healing  of  horses  Avas  provided  for 
in  the  atonement.  I  think  one  text  of  scripture  ^yi\l 
explain.  In  John  15  :7  Ave  find,  "If  ye  abide  in  me  and 
my  Avords  abide  in  a  on,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye' A\ill, 
and  it  shall  be  done  unto  yoii."  I  do  not  claim  that 
horses  can  exercise  faith.  They  are  dumb  animals. 
But  I  do  claim  and  knoAV  by  experience  that  when 
Ave  have  our  stock  consecrated  to  God,  and  live  to 
all  the  light  that  aac  knoAV,  that  this  text  gives  us 
the  privilege  of  coming  to  God  in  prayer  and  ask- 
ing him  to  heal  them.  I  used  to  be  a  horse  doctor 
before  I  A^■as  saved,  l^nt  have  ahvays  prayed  for  my 
stock  since  God  saved  me. 

We  traveled  in  the  snoAv  until  three  o'clock  that 
daA'.     The  roads  W(Me  very  bad  and  the  Avind  Avas 


now  I  COT  lArrii  L'L'l 

cold  and  il  was  daii'|>  and  clnllv.  WC  did  not  slop 
for  diiiiic)-  and  we  wcic  all  vcrv  ((dd  and  liicd  and 
huiiiiry  ;  also,  oiii-  teams  Avcro  hun<j;i-y  and  tired.  We 
reached  the  Kuidosa,  this  was  on  the  Huidosa  Kiver, 
and  we  found  a  cowboy  shack  and  eighty  acics  of 
good  pasture  fenced  in.  There  was  large  pine  tim- 
ber. We  caniix'd  there.  This  was  a  place  that  the 
stock  men  had  to  stop  when  ciianging  thcii-  sto<k 
from  one  part  of  the  country  to  another.  W  hilc  we 
were  prepariuii  our  supper  we  heard  a  noise,  ami 
look(Ml  out  and  saw  a  lot  of  cowboys  conniifi  with 
two  hundred  head  of  cattle  and  several  head  of 
horses.  I  went  out  and  met  them  and  told  them 
that  I  supposed  that  we  were  trespassing.  They 
said  no  that  we  were  not  trespassing  and  that  they 
would  not  molest  us.  They  told  us  to  keep  the 
house,  and.  that  they  would  camp  out  under  the 
trees  and  do  their  cooking.  T  told  them  to  use  one 
room  to  sleep  in.  They  soon  had  a  big  camplire  and 
cooked  their  su])per  in  the  snow. 

Xext  morning  tiie  cowboys  left,  but  \\r  stayed 
over  another  night  for  the  roads  to  dry  a  little,  for 
it  had  (luit  snowing  We  started  the  nexi  day  and 
got  along  without  any  accident. 

The  last  night  before  we  reached  liomc  as  we 
got  o(ir  tents  set  up  we  saw  quite  a  storm  condng, 
but  the  Lord  scattered  the  storm  ami  it  did  not 
amount  to  much.  We  reached  home  without  any 
trouble,  e.vcept  it  was  raining  and  Ave  traveled  in 
the  rain  until  noon  before  we  reached  home. 

This  proved  to  be  a  very  hard  trij)  on  mc  Some 
who  read  this  book  know  that  T  was  healed  of  con- 
sum])tion  nineteen  years  ago,  and  started  into  the 
ministry  immediately.  Since  that  time  T  have  been 
going  most  of  the  time,  steady.  1  haxc  traveled 
over  forty  states  and  went  Ihi-oULili  many  hardships, 
and  lost  many  inghts  sleep.  Have  prea<hed  U)V 
three  hours  at  night  and  diovc  leii  nn'les  lo  stay 
all   uiiiht   and   held   a    meeting   in    this   way   at    oni' 


'2'2'2  now  1  (;0T  faith 

time,  traveling  tliat  distance  every  day  and  night. 
One  night  I  was  called  to  where  a  child  died  to  pray 
with  the  people  who  wanted  to  get  saved.  I  prayed 
with  theni  until  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and 
a  number  got  saved. 

In  the  beginning  of  my  ministry  I  did  not  know 
how  to  take  care  of  my  body.  I  was  a  little  fanat- 
ical, and  thought  that  if  God  could  heal  us  he  could 
take  care  of  us  under  any  circumstance.  There- 
fore, I  exi)osed  myself  a  great  deal,  that  I  could 
have  avoided  by  using  care. 

One  time  w^hen  holding  meeting  at  a  place  I 
preached  at  night  in  a  Avarm  i-oom  close  to  a  hot 
stove,  and  would  go  four  miles  througli  the  cold  to 
and  from  the  meeting,  and  it  was  very  cold.  My 
clothes  w^ould  be  saturated  with  perspiration,  and 
I  would  sleep  in  a  cold  room  Avhere  there  had  been 
no  fire,  on  a  shuck  bed,  and  under  light  cover.  God 
took  care  of  nie  because  he  had  mercy  on  me  on 
account  of  my  lack  of  knowledge.  Finally  some 
one  noticed  the  way  that  I  w^as  exposing  myself  and 
told  me  that  I  should  put  on  dry  clothing  at  night, 
and  since  that  time  I  have  used  more  precaution. 
However,  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that  I  have  gone 
through  such  experiences  until  my  body  has  let 
down,  and  my  nerves  have  given  out.  Responsi- 
bility was  great  and  the  cares  so  many  it  seemed 
that  I  could  not  find  a  place  to  rest.  The  strain 
on  my  mind  and  body  has  overtaxed  my  body  and 
nerves.  Since  the  camp  meeting  at  Anderson  in 
June  I  have  been  failing.  Since  our  last  trip  which 
I  have  just  described  I  have  been  confined  to  my 
room  and  bed  a  good  part  of  the  time.  The  devil 
took  advantage  of  me  and  put  false  impressions  on 
me  that  hindered  me  from  exercising  faith.  I  rea- 
lized that  when  God  saved  me  nineteen  years  ago 
and  healed  me  he  prolonged  my  life.  Since  that 
time  I  have  had  more  experience  and  traveled  more 
miles,  and  possibly  preached  more  sermons  than 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  223 

most  any  other  man  in  the  same  length  of  time. 
While  meditating  and  piaying,  trying  to  exercise 
i'ixith.  to  be  healed  the  devil  suggested  to  me  that  my 
time  was  ended;  that  God  had  already  extended  my 
life  nineteen  years,  which  was  more  than  we  had 
any  Bible  account  of ;  that  he  had  only  prolonged 
Hezekiah's  life  fifteen  years.  And  the  devil  suggest- 
ed that  my  work  was  done.  I  could  not  exercise 
faith  over  tliis  impression,  and  it  looked  reasonable. 
But  after  a  week  of  reviewing  my  past  life  I  saw 
that  these  nineteen  years  which  the  Lord  had  added 
to  my  life  had  been  given  in  the  service  of  (lod,  and 
for  the  benefit  of  sin  cursed,  sick  and  suffering 
humanity.  That  I  now  had  over  one  thousand  calls 
in  the  United  States  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  from 
three-fourths  of  them  the  money  was  offered  me  to 
pay  my  expenses.  That  T  had  started  the  work 
which  God  laid  on  my  heart  years  ago,  a  school  of 
training  children  for  God.  That  the  school  was  now 
in  session,  mth  three  teachers  teaching  all  branch- 
es, and  children  here  fi'om  different  states  besides 
many  of  the  children  in  the  town  were  attending  the 
school  whose  parents  are  not  able  to  pay  their  tui- 
tion. I  saw  the  great  responsibility  resting  upon 
me  and  this  work  just  in  its  infancy.  1  derided  tliat 
it  was  a  trick  of  the  devil.  1  went  to  meeting  on 
Sunday  and  made  a  similar  statement  to  the  con- 
gregation, and  the  saints  all  gathered  around  n^ 
and  ]>iayed  for  me,  and  the  healing  touch  went 
through  my  l)ody  and  i-estoicd  every  weak  nerve; 
took  out  the  stiffness  and  .-joienes.s  ;ni(l  I  felt  like 
a  well  man. 

Monday  morning  following  I  began  dictating 
this  book  and  T  oveitaxed  my  l)rains  and  nerv^•^. 
On  Friday  evening  I  had  to  give  up  and  go  to  bed. 
I  Avas  confined  to  my  bed  and  room  until  the  next 
Saturday  morning.  On  Friday  night  l)efore,  how- 
ever, 1  was  meditating  and  praying,  when  I  decid- 
<■(!  tliat  it  was  a  tiick  of  the  devil.     Thai    i  had  the 


224  HOW  1  GOT  FAITli 

I 

witness  from  God  that  lie  wanted  nie  to  live,  and 
the  devil  was  trying  to  kill  nie  and  keep  nie  from 
writing  this  book.  On  Saturday  morning  while 
alone  in  my  room  with  the  Lord  the  healing  power 
went  through  my  body,  and  1  felt  that  I  was  a  well 
man.  1  began  to  dress,  and  the  song  of  Moses  and 
the  Israelites  began  to  run  through  my  mind,  and 
I  could  hardly  keep  from  singing  aloud  until  I  could 
get  dressed  and  out  of  my  room,  when  I  commenced 
singing : 
^'When    Moses    and    the    Israelites    from    Egypt's 

land  did  flee, 
Behind  them  was  proud  Pharoah's  hosts,  in  front 

of  them  the  sea ; 
God  raised  the  waters  like  a  wall  and  robbed  them 

of  their  prey, 
And  the  God  that  lived  in  Moses  time  is  just  the 

same  today. 

IJe  is  just  the  same  today, 
He  is  just  the  same  today." 
I  walked  down  stairs  singing  that  song.     All  the 
inmates  of  the  Home  from  the  school  teachers  down 
to  the  pupils  came  running  to  see  what  had  hap- 
pened, and  we  had  a  glorious  meeting. 

Now,  one  would  suppose  that  that  w^ould  have 
settled  it,  that  there  was  no  more  trouble.  But  the 
battle  is  still  going  on,  the  devil  has  not  shaken  my 
faith  or  made  me  to  think  any  more  that  my  time 
is  ended.  But  it  seems  that  I  cannot  get  my  strength 
back  and  be  myself  the  same  as  I  was  before  this 
nervous  breakdown  came  on  me. 

However,  I  am  expecting  when  I  get  this  book 
completed  and  off  of  my  mind  that  I  can  then  exer- 
cise faith  for  complete  restoration.  It  might  be 
thought  by  some  who  read  this  that  I  had  made  a 
mistake  in  coming  to  this  country  and  taking  upon 
myself  the  responsibilities  that  I  have,  and  by  so 
doing  overtaxed  my  mind  and  body  and  brought 
about  this  trouble. 


]i(»\v  I  (Mcr  lAiTii  225 

It  is  no  doubt  that  the  exi)osui('  J  Imvc  uonc 
through  in  these  overland  trips,  and  the  great  st  rain 
that  has  been  on  uj.v  mind  in  stariiiiu  ilic  woik 
here  has  had  sonietliing  to  do  witli  tliis  i  loubh*, 
but  I  am  sure  that  (iod  lias  sent  me  licic 

Just  because  "we  break  down  in  oui-  IxkIv.  or 
get  ptit  in  prison  or  Inippcn  h*  sonic  disjistcr,  as 
I'anl  and  llie  other  apostles,  it  is  no  sign  that  (lod's 
hand  is  not  in  Avhat  we  are  doing.  I  know  that  if 
I  had  not  come  here  there  are  many  ()\er  these 
plains  that  have  the  truth  now,  woidd  never  liave 
heard  it.  Also  in  this  town  there  are  many  that 
have  gone  from  here  to  other  jdaces  that  were  saved 
here.  Also  there  have  been  [K'ople  healed  of  eon- 
sumption  and  other  dreadful  diseases,  i)()ssibly 
would  never  have  known  the  privilege  (Jod  had 
granted  unto  them,  had  I  not  said,  "■Yes,"  to  the 
Lord. 

Just  how  long  the  Lord  wants  me  to  remain  hei-e 
I  cannot  tell.  He  is  bringing  in  other  workers  and 
ministers,  and  possibly  as  others  come  in  that  can 
take  up  the  Avork,  He  will  release  me  and  give  me 
another  field  of  labor.  1  can  say  as  Jesus  said  in 
the  garden  of  Gethseniane,  ''2sot  my  will  but  thine 
be  done.'-  Yet  1  am  sure  it  w^ould  be  much  better 
if  I  Avas  located  in  a  more  central  \K\vt  of  the  Ignited 
States  Avliere  people  from  ditCereiit  stales  could 
more  easily  reach  the  school  and  ])atroni/e  ii.  It 
seems  that  the  Lord  is  moving  in  that  direction 
now ,  as  I  have  a  ])roposition  of  this  kind  made  me 
from  an  Eastern  state. 


22G  now  I  GOT  FAITH 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


FALSE  PROPHETS 


One  time  I  was  going  to  Dallas,  Texas,  on  the 
train,  and  a  number  of  preachers  got  on  the  train. 
They  all  took  seats  together.  After  looking  at  me 
and  whispering  among  themselves  for  a  while  one 
came  to  me  and  said,  ''How  do  you  do.  Are  you  a 
minister?"  I  answered,  "Yes,  sir."  He  then  in- 
quired, "Going  to  Dallas?"  I  said,  "Yes,  sir."  Then 
he  said,"0,  by  the  way,  you  are  going  to  the  Asso- 
ciation?" I  said,  "Xo,  sir,  I  am  not  going  to  the 
Association."  He  said,  "What  church  do  you  rep- 
resent?" I  said,  "I  represent  the  church  of  God." 
Then  he  said,  "AYell,  I  know,  we  all  do,  but  what 
branch  do  you  represent?"  I  said,  "I  do  not  rep- 
resent any  branch  at  all,  I  represent  the  body." 
He  went  back  to  his  crowd  and  sat  down,  and  the 
following  song  came  to  me,  and  I  sang  it  as  it  came 
to  my  mind. 

All  the  sect  preachers  preach  by  note. 
All  of  their  flock  are  principally  goats ; 

But  now  and  then  there's  a  lamb,  a  lamb, 
Xow  and  then  there's  a  lamb. 

Sanctification  they  don't  believe, 
The  Holy  Ghost  they  won't  receive ; 

But  now  and  then  there's  a  lamb,  a  lamb, 
X^ow  and  then  there's  a  lamb. 

They  say  Di^dne  Healing  is  a  thing  of  the  past, 
That  there  is  no  Bible,  that  man  shall  fast ; 

But  now  and  then  there's  a  lamb,  a  lamb, 
Xow  and  then  there's  a  lamb. 

O  sinner,  don't  you  believe  if  you  will  repent 
That  Jesus  will  save? 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  227 

For  now  and  then  there's  a  lamb,  a  lamb, 
iNow  and  then  there's  a  lamb. 

For  several  years  I  have  preached  this  gospel 
round, 

And  still  my  name  is  \Mlli.s  M.  Brown; 
And  now  and  then  there's  a  lamb,  a  lamb, 

Xow  and  then  there's  a  lamb. 

Tlicy  could  all  hear  me,  they  did  not  botlier  me 
any  more.  I  never  heard  this  song  before,  it  just 
came  to  me  as  I  sang  it,  and  I  have  never  forgotten 
it.    It  must  have  been  sent  of  the  Lord. 

Xow,  Avo  find  in  2  Teter  2:1 -.3,  ''But  there  were 
false  ])rophets  also  among  the  people,  even  as  there 
sliall  be  false  teachers  among  you,  wlio  privily  shall 
bring  danniable  heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord 
that  bought  them,  and  bring  upon  themselves  SA\ift 
destruction.  And  many  shall  follow  their  ])erni- 
cious  ways;  by  reason  of  Avhoiii  the  way  of  truth 
shall  be  evil  spoken  of.  And  through  covetousness 
shall  they  with  feigned  words  make  mcM'chandise 
of  you:  whose  judgment  now  of  a  long  time  linger- 
eth  not,  and  their  damnation  sluiiibcrcth  not."  We 
notice  here  in  the  first  verse  there  was^a  time  that 
there  were  false  prophets  and  God  through  the 
A])ostl('  here  tells  us  that  there  shall  be  false  teach- 
ers among  us.  The  question  would  come  to  many 
who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  gospel  in  its  pur- 
ity, Who  are  false  teachers?  They  are  those  wlio 
pervert  the  word  of  God,  take  from  the  word  of  (Jod 
and  add  to  it:  gi\ing  it  a  diffei-eiit  iiH'aniiig  from 
what  (}o<l  intended  it  to  have. 

For  instance,  in  the  Fifth  Chapter  of  James, 
beginning  at  the  Fourteenth  verse,"  Is  any  sick 
among  you?  let  him  call  for  the  elders  of  the 
church  :  and  let  them  ])i-ay  over  him,  anointing  him 
Avith  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord;  And  the  ])rayer 
of  faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise 
him  up."    At  one  place  my  son,  riuuley.  and  1  were 


228  now    1    GOT   J  AlTIl 

holding  a  meeting  there  was  great  interest.  A  nu:  i- 
bei-  were  healed,  oint  tiniong  these  Avas  a  paralyzed 
woman.  After  we  left,  the  preacher,  who  was  sai  1 
to  be  a  theologian,  announced  that  he  would  preach 
on  Divine  Healing  on  a  certain  day.  Parties  that  I 
had  confidence  is  as  being  reliable  told  me  that  the;y 
were  there,  and  that  he  referred  to  this  scripture 
in  James,  and  spoke  of  it  as  being  the  scripture 
that  Brown  and  his  boy  used  so  much.  He  read  it 
and  said,  '"Xow,  where  it  says  call  the  elders,  it 
means  to  call  for  the  doctors  and  let  them  anoint 
and  grease  them  with  quinine  and  lard."  I  only 
give  this  instance  among  a  thousand  others  that  I 
knoAv  of,  but  give  you  this  to  let  you  have  an  idea 
of  what  false  teachers  are.  There  was  a  crowded 
house  who  had  been  listening  to  us,  although  we 
were  unlearned  and  ignorant  as  to  the  things  of  this 
world.  But  by  the  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God 
we  expounded  the  Word  of  God  so  plainly  that 
liiany  people  saw^  that  they  were  living  beneath  their 
privileges,  and  that  God  had  something  for  them 
that  they  had  not  received.  Yet  this  educated  man, 
though  a  false  teacher,  perverted  the  Word  of 
God,  which  we  had  explained  to  the  people  and 
caused  many  to  receive  a  benefit,  and  threw  the 
impresson  on  them  that  we  were  too  ignorant  to 
know^  the  meaning  of  it. 

In  the  second  verse  we  notice,  "And  many  shall 
foUoAV  their  pernicious  way;  by  reason  of  whom 
the  way  of  truth  shall  be  evil  spoken  of.''  Many  of 
the  preachers,  members,  referred  to  above,  followed 
his  pernicious  ways,  accepted  his  teaching  and 
turned  against  the  truth  of  God  and  the  servants 
of  God,  making  fun  of  them;  telling  lies  on  them 
and  persecuting  them ;  and  in  this  Avay  shoAv  their 
pernicious  ways.  Also  tliroAv  their  influence  over 
those  who  listen  to  them,  "And  through  covetous- 
ness  shall  they  vv-ith  feigned  Avords  make  merchan- 
dise of  you."     But  Ave  also  notice  in  the  latter 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  220 

clause,  ••Whose  jiidgnient  now  of  a  long  time  ling- 
eietli  not,  and  their  damnation  sluinbereth  not." 

I  thank  God  he  has  kept  liis  liaiid  on  me  and 
enalded  me  to  keep  my  eyes  on  him  and  not  folh)\v 
the  ways  ottered  by  man,  though  1  have  had  many 
opportunities.  While  living  at  Saxton,  Mo.,  after 
T  had  preached  one  night  in  the  ^fetliodist  Meeting 
house  to  a  large  congregation,  the  next  day  I  was 
passing  a  drug  store,  the  druggist  and  the  i)reacli('r 
were  there.  They  called  me  into  the  store.  Tlie 
preacher  said,  "I  love  you,  Brother  Brown."  I 
said,  ••!  love  you  too."  Tic  again  said,  •'^Ve  want 
you  to  join  our  churcli  and  conference  and  preach 
with  us."  I  said,  ''I  want  to  ask  you  a  few  ques- 
tions. Do  you  believe  I  am  saved?''  They  an- 
swered, "'Yes,  we  know  you  aie."  1  then  said.  "Do 
you  believe  1  am  sanctitied?"  Tlie  ])i*eacher  an- 
swered, ••Yes,  I  know  you  are."  J  asked,  ••Do  you 
believe  I  am  called  to  preach?"  He  said,  "Yes." 
I  then  said,  ''Do  you  believe  I  ])reach  the  I'ilde  as 
(Jod  wants  me  to?"  They  said,  ••Yes.  tliat  is  why 
we  want  you."  I  said,  "If  I  join  your  conference 
and  clnirch  will  they  let  me  ])reach  just  like  I  am 
preaching?"  Xo.  they  thought  not.  1  then  said, 
•'Do  you  want  nie  \o  tic  myself  u]i  in  something 
where  I  cannot  till  the  call  (Jod  has  given  me.  and 
cannot  preach  Avhat  God  has  sent  me  to  preach?'' 
They  said.  "Xo.  go  on,  we  l)id  you  God-s])eed."  ITo 
was  holiest  enough  to  acknowledge  1  was  prea«liing 
the  truth,  and  that  I  Avas  in  ;i  place  where  1  could 
]»reacli  it.  and  he  was  in  a  itlacc  where  he  r(»nld  not 
])reach  it.  and  to  adxise  me  not  to  join  iiiiyihing 
that  would  hinder  me. 

God  has  told  ns  in  his  Word  iliioii«:h  the  in- 
spired writer  in  Revelation  22:lS-n),  "For  1  testify 
unto  every  man  that  heai-eth  the  words  of  the  pro- 
]>liecy  of  this  book.  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these 
things.  Go<l  shall  add  niilo  him  the  jdagiies  that  are 
Avritlen   in   this  book:   .\iid  if  any  man  shall   take 


230  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this  prophecy, 
God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of 
life."  So  we  find  according"  to  this  statement  that 
those  who  pervert  the  Word  of  God,  take  from  it 
and  add  to  it,  God  takes  their  name  out  of  the  book 
of  life.  They  may  be  a  member  of  the  conference 
of  the  Methodist  Church, -or  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  or  of  any  other  organization  organized 
by  man,  but  they  are  no  longer  a  member  of  the 
church  of  God  that  Jesus  built  to  take  his  people 
to  heaven. 

We  find  in  Matthew  15:14  what  Jesus  says 
about  those  prophets,  "Let  them  alone :  they  be 
blind  leaders  of  the  blind.  And  if  the  blind  lead 
the  blind,  both  shall  fall  into  the  ditch." 

Again  in  Matthew  23 :21,  "Ye  blind  guides, 
wiiicli  strain  at  a  gnat,  and  SAvallow  a  camel.''  Ye 
blind  guides  that  strain  at  sanctification  as  a  sec- 
ond work  of  grace,  strain  at  Divine  healing,  strain 
at  the  oneness  of  God  and  his  people ;  but  swallow 
a  whole  box  supper,  picture  sIioavs,  festivals  and 
such  things  to  raise  money  for  themselves.  In  many 
instances  have  a  dance  hall  and  a  billiard  room  at- 
tached to  their  meeting  houses.  In  the  twenty-eighth 
verse,  "Even  so  ye  also  outAvardly  appear  righteous 
unto  men,  but  within  ye  are  full  of  h>^30crisy  and 
iniquity."  Also  verse  twenty-nine,  "Woe  unto  you, 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  because  ye  build 
the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and  garnish  the  sepul- 
chres of  the  righteous."  And  verses  30,  31,  32,  and 
33,  "And  say.  If  Ave  had  been  in  the  days  of  our 
fathers,  we  would  not  have  been  partakers  with 
them  in  the  blood  of  the  i)rophets.  Wherefore  ye 
be  Avitnesses  unto  yourselves,  that  ye  are  the  chil- 
dren of  them  AAiiich  killed  the  prophets.  Fill  ye 
up  then  the  measure  of  your  fathers.  Ye  serpents, 
ye  generation  of  vipers,  hoAV  can  ye  escape  the  dam- 
nation of  hell?" 

Different  times  Avhen  I  have  sung  the  song  that 


now   1    UOT  FAITH  231 

1  gave  in  the  heudiiig  of  this  chaphT  and  pi-eached 
on  this  subject  it  has  raised  gicat  peiseciilioii  and 
caused  people  to  say  hard  tilings  about  nic  Es- 
pecially in  a  numbcf  ol'  iiishinccs  wlicic  I  li;i\c  ol- 
fered  from  tAventy-tive  cents  to  one  dollar  a])ic<»'  to 
preachers  to  sit  on  the  rostrum  and  face  the  con- 
gregation Avhile  I  i)reached  on  this  subject.  In  a 
few  instances  they  have  accei)ted  my  iiroposiiion, 
but  they  got  very  restless  and  faih'd  to  face  the  con- 
gregation until  the  discourse,  was  over.  People 
that  were  following  their  pernicious  ways  sai(l  I 
was  too  hard  on  them  in  exposing  them  that  way. 
Jesus  said,  "Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers, 
how  can  ye  escape  the  danniation  of  hell?"'  1  li;ivc 
never  put  it  any  stronger  that  He  did. 

We  find  in  Isaiali  1):1[-17.  ••Thctcfoic  the  Lord 
will  cut  olT  from  Israel  head  and  tail,  brancli  ami 
rush,  in  one  day.  The  ancient  and  honourable,  he 
is  the  head  :  and  the  prophet  that  teacheth  lies,  he 
is  the  tail.  I'or  the  leaders  of  this  ju'ople  cause 
them  to  err:  and  they  that  are  led  of  them  are  des- 
troyed. Therefore  the  J^ord  shall  have  no  joy  in 
their  young  men,  neither  shall  have  mercy  on  their 
fatherless  and  widows:  for  every  one  is  an  liy|>o- 
crite  and  an  evildoer,  and  every  mouth  s))eaketh 
folly.  For  all  this  his  anger  is  not  luiiie<l  away, 
but  his  hand  is  stretched  out  still.'  Now.  we  see 
that  (Jod  said  he  Avould  cut  off  Israel  from  the  peo- 
ple ^)f  («o(l  head  and  tail,  ]»ranch  jind  rush  in  one 
day.  He  tells  who  the  ancient  and  honorable  are. 
The  ancient  ;ind  honorable  he  is  the  head  the  bish- 
ops, the  presiding  elders,  the  rulers,  the  pope-  the 
l)roi»liet  that  te;iclielli  lies,  he  is  the  tail.  The  lead- 
ers of  tills  people  cause  them  lo  ei  r  :  and  they  tlnit 
are  led  of  them  are  destroyed  by  the  lies  wiiicli  i  hey 
teach.  They  cause  the  jieople  to  err  from  the  irnih. 
to  reject  the  ti'uth  :  this  saps  their  sonl  of  the  grace 
of  (Jod  and  thev  are  lost.     Shall  we  onlv  apply  this 


232  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

to  Roman  Catliolirs  and  sectisni  and  divisions,  or 
shall  we  say  that  this  applies  to  any  one  guilty. 

T  have  been  preaching  the  gospel  for  nineteen 
years  in  all  its  fulness.  Teaching  people  the  priv- 
ilege that  God  had  granted  unto  them  through  the 
death  and  resurrection  of  His  Son.  That  they  should 
trust  God  for  their  bodies  as  well  as  for  their  souls. 
That  they  should  be  a  plain  people.  That  the  money 
they  once  spent  for  superfluity  to  adorn  their  bodies 
to  look  beautiful  to  mankind  should  noTV  be  spent 
for  the  gospel ;  and  I  have  tried  to  set  the  example 
by  doing  as  I  taught  them  to  do.  Should  I  turn 
from  this  truth,  or  rather  neglect  to  teach  a  part  of 
it,  or  in  other  Avords,  say  that  I  had  been  mistaken 
in  the  matter,  was  too  rigid  and  taught  it  too  close, 
held  it  down  too  hard,  that  they  would  not  have  to 
do  as  I  had  taught  them,  that  there  was  no  harm 
to  use  simple  remedies,  no  harm  to  put  on  a  little 
superfluity.  Then  I  would  be  teaching  lies,  I  would 
mislead  that  people,  cause  them  to  lose  their  sal- 
vation, and  they  would  be  lost.  My  doom  would 
be  as  the  false  prophets  spoken  of  in  Micah  3  :5-7, 
"Thus  saitli  the  Lord  concerning  the  prophets  that 
make  my  people  err,  that  bite  mth  their  teeth,  and 
cry.  Peace:  and  he  that  putteth  not  into  their 
mouths,  they  even  prepare  war  against  him.  There- 
fore night  shall  be  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  not  have 
a  vision  ;  and  it  shall  be  dark  unto  you,  that  ye  shall 
not  divine:  and  the  sun  shall  go  down  over  the 
prophets,  and  the  day  shall  be  dark  over  them.  Then 
shall  the  seers  be  ashamed,  and  the  diviners  con- 
founded: yea,  they  shall  all  cover  their  lips:  for 
there  is  no  answer  of  God." 

This  brings  to  my  mind  a  number  of  men,  (when 
I  first  became  acquainted  with  them  they  were  sect 
preachers),  they  could  expound  the  scriptures  and 
they  could  get  ansAvers  to  prayer,  but  when  they 
heard  the  trutli  and  the  meaning  of  some  scrip- 
tuies  they  preached,  that  they  did  not  understand 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  233 

they  were  thoroughly  cominced  they  were  mistaken 
about  the  matter;  and  that  Ood  was  just  tlie  same 
today,  he  ever  was.  Thai  H<?  intended  that  man 
should  live  by  every  word  that  proceeded  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God.  That  none  of  it  had  passed  away. 
Yet  they  refused  to  accept  the  light,.  It  Avas  like 
seed  falling  on  stony  land.  It  sprang  up  for  a 
while.  AVliile  they  were  Avith  me  they  gave  tes- 
timony to  the  light  they  had  received,  and  what 
they  Avere  going  to  do.  But  when  their  leaders 
pulled  those  sectarian  lines  down  on  them  and  gave 
them  to  understand  that  if  they  did  not  renounce 
this  as  a  heresy  they  Avould  take  their  credentials 
from  them  and  turn  them  out  of  the  church.  Tlicy 
obeyed  man  rather  than  God.  They  are  uoav  con- 
founded and  gone  into  formality.  In  Micah  .S:ll, 
"The  heads  thereof  judge  for  rcAvard,  and  the  priests 
thereof  teach  for  hire,  and  the  i)i'ophets  thereof 
divine  for  money :  yet  aaIII  they  lean  upon  the  Lord 
and  say,  Is  not  the  Lord  among  us?  none  evil  can 
come  upon  us."  XotAvithstanding  the  fact  of  their 
failure  to  walk  in  the  light  of  God,  and  they  are 
bound  to  knoAV  that  they  have  lost  ])OAV('r  Avith  God 
and  that  they  cannot  pi('a<li  as  thc.v  oner  did.  they 
still  Avill  tell  the  ju'ople  that  the  Lord  is  witli  tliem. 
In  case  they  toucli  the  symi)alhy  of  the  people  with 
some  incident  of  Avhich  they  have  read,  something 
like  the  Titanic  sinking,  or  some  other  disastei-  that 
has  destioyed  life,  and  get  a  fcAv  joiners  to  the 
church,  they  say  the  Lord  is  Avitli  us.  They  become 
deceived,  and  are  as  blind  leading  tlie  blind  and 
they  all  -'"^ill  in  the  ditch  togethei-.  and  Avill  cr-y  for 
water  through  a  never  ending  hell,  e\ce|ii  lliev  lo- 
pent. 

St.  John  l():ll!-i;i,  "r.ui  lie  llial  is  an  hireling, 
and  not  the  shepherd  whose  ()\\ii  tlie  sheep  are  not, 
seeth  the  Avolf  coming,  and  (leeth:  and  the  wolf 
catcheth  them,  and  scatteretli  the  sIkm  p.  The  hire- 
ling fleetli,  because  he  is  an  hiiclini;.  and  (  areth  not 


234  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

for  the  sheep."  When  the  hireling,  the  preacher 
that  divines  for  money,  that  leans  upon  his  salary, 
sees  the  woU  coming  he  flees.  A  wolf  is  something 
that  destroys  sheep.  Sheep  here  represent  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  When  the  shepherd  of  the  sheep  sees 
the  wolf  coming  he  gives  the  alarm,  and  makes  an 
effort  to  stop  him  before  he  destroys  the  li\X's  of  the 
sheep.  When  the  salaried  preacher,  or  false  shep- 
herd of  the  children  of  God  sees  the  wolf  coudng — 
the  box  supper,  the  party — something  that  is  cal- 
culated to  kill  spirituality  and  to  crowd  out  Christ. 
The  hobble  skirt  and  superfluity  of  the  world  that 
Idndles  pride  in  the  heart,  and  destroys  spirituality. 
He  will  keep  still  and  not  warn  his  flock.  The 
preachers  get  gain  from  the  box  supper,  and  the 
pay  ball,  and  money  is  brought  in  from  this  Avorld- 
ly  association.  They  know  that  it  is  wrong,  but 
they  do  not  say  anything  about  it. 

Jeremiah  50  :G,  ''My  people  hath  been  lost  sheep : 
their  shepherds  have  caused  them  to  go  astray,  they 
have  turned  them  away  on  the  mountains  :  they  have 
gone  from  mountain  to  hill,  they  have  forgotten 
their  resting  place."  There  are  many  souls  in  sect- 
ism  who  enjoy  the  association  of  the  x)eople  of  God. 
They  are  spiritual  and  enjoy  to  worship  the  Lord. 
They  have  seen  so  much  worldly  conformity  they 
have  become  disgusted,  as  a  number  have  told  me. 
One  woman  told  me  that  she  did  not  attend  box 
suppers,  but  she  baked  cake  for  them,  because  the 
preacher  told  her  that  it  Avas  her  duty  to  bake  the 
cakes  to  help  to  raise  the  money  for  his  salary, 
though  she  did  not  attend  the  suppers.  In  this 
way  people  are  forced  to  follow  their  pernicious 
ways.  God  in  his  mercy  knows  their  honest  hearts 
and  has  continued  to  let  his  grace  abide  in  their 
souls,  and  they  have  become  disgusted  and  have 
wandered  from  sect  to  sect  and  found  no  resting 
place  as  they  once  had  when  first  saved.  There  are 
thousands  of  souls  in  this  world  today  not  satis- 


HO\V'  I  GOT  FAITH  2.15 

fied  in  sectism,  but  do  not  know  of  anytliing  bctici-. 
They  join  the  one  they  think  teaches  the  most  of 
the  Word  of  God.,  if  it  does  not  suit  they  go  to 
another.  I  have  met  numbers  in  this  condition, 
but  when  they  hear  tlie  truth,  and  sec  what  (Jod 
says  in  Revelation  18:4-5,  *'And  I  heard  another 
voice  from  heaven,  saying,  Come  out  of  her,  my  pco 
ple,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that 
ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues.  For  her  sins  liave 
reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath  remembered 
her  iniquities."  God's  jDcople  obey  the  call,  and 
take  their  place  with  the  people  of  God,  they  Inivo 
gotten  back  home,  they  have  found  their  resting 
place. 

Isaiah  5G  :10-11,  "His  watchmen  are  blind :  they 
are  all  ignorant,  they  are  all  dumb  dogs,  they  can- 
not bark;  sleeping,  lying  down,  loving  to  .slund)er. 
Yea,  they  are  greedy  dogs  which  can  never  liave 
enough,  and  they  are  shepherds  tliat  cannot  undei--. 
stand :  they  all  look  to  their  own  way,  every  one 
for  his  gain,  from  his  quaiter."  The  preacher  is 
supposed  to  be  the  sheplierd,  the  watcliman  uimmi 
the  Avatch  tower.  He  is  to  oversee  the  Hock,  lie  i.s 
supposed  to  be  filled  with  the  spirit  and  power  of 
God.  Have  discernment  from  God  to  detect  false 
spirits  of  compromis(\  or  anytliing  tluit  is  calculat- 
ed to  destroy  spiiiluality.  God  expects  him  to  cry 
out  against  evil,  if  lie  does  not  he  is  a  dumb  dog, 
that  loves  to  slmnber,  and  is  afraid  to  say  anything, 
he  is  looking  to  pay  day.  He  knows  fha(  his  money 
does  not  come  from  the  people,  it  conies  from  hi.s 
creed,  and  he  looks  to  them  I'oi-  his  gain.  Hence,  he 
lays  still  and  tries  to  get  as  many  to  follow  his  pei-- 
nicious  ways  as  possible,  in  oi'der  to  fleece  (hem  for 
his  oAvn  benefit. 

Brother  ,  has  God  laid  his  hand  (»ii  you  lo 
preach,  are  you  a  minister  of  the  church  of  God ; 
if  so.  watch  over  the  flock.  Lay  on  your  face  before 
God  for  discernment.     lie  able  to  detect  anything 


23G  HOW  I  GOT  FAITPI 

tliat  is  calculated  to  destroy  spirituality.  We  have 
been  teacliing  the  people  from  the  begiiiniug  of  this 
reformation  that  this  is  the  church  of  God.  The 
cue  which  Jesus  prophesied  of  and  prayed  for  iu 
John  17:18,,  and  he  sent  them  forth  as  God  sent 
him.  He  taught  them  to  be  a  j)lain  people,  a  pecul- 
iar people,  a  people  zealous  of  good  works.  We 
have  told  the  i)eople  that  they  could  not  be  tilled 
with  the  spirit  of  God  without  obeying  his  word. 
We  have  dressed  plain  ourselves,  we  have  set  the 
example  before  them.  If  w^e  were  not  dressed  plain 
and  neat  when  in  the  puli>it  and  would  see  a  sister 
come  in  the  congregation,  that  had  been  very  spir- 
itual and  dressed  with  a  little  extra  adornment 
such  as  a  j)lume  on  her  hat,  or  a  bunch  of  rag  flow- 
ers or  any  other  superfluity,  we  could  not  speak 
against  it.  Why?  Because  we  were  not  examples 
ourselves.  If  we  had  on  no  tie,  no  stick  pin,  no  su- 
perfluity, then  we  would  not  fear  to  speak  against 
the  sin  that  we  see,  and  would  not  be  afraid  of  any 
one  condemning  us  for  what  we  condemn  in  others, 
and  would  be  free  to  warn  them  of  the  danger  they 
w^ere  in. 

If  I  was  to  take  the  pulpit  with  a  tie  on,  since 
preacliing  these  many  years  against  it  as  I  have, 
and  dressing  as  I  have,  and  see  one  who  liad  been 
a  saint  of  God  come  into  the  congregation  dressed 
as  the  world,  with  a  plume  on  her  hat  as  long  as  a 
horse's  tail,  also  wearing  a  gold  ring,  I  could  not 
say  anything  to  her.  I  w^ould  be  afraid  she  would 
expose  me  to  the  people,  and  call  attention  to  what 
I  once  preached,  and  to  what  I  now  was. 

Brother,  if  we  see  these  things  creeping  in  and 
we  keep  still,  we  are  dumb  dogs.  God  cannot  use 
us  if  we  do  not  bark  and  w^arn  the  people  to  shun 
the  appearance  of  evil,  and  walk  in  the  light  of 
the  gospel. 

One  says,  "There  is  no  harm  in  putting  on  a  lit- 
tle tie,  it  is  nothing  more  than  a  matter  of  con- 


now  1  GOT  FAITH  i*:57 

science."  Let  us  consider  it  a  little.  In  June,  i\)VA, 
I  attended  the  Anderson  canip-nieeting.  There  was 
reported  to  be  four  hundred  preachers  there.  I  did 
not  see  but  one  of  them  ^vitll  a  tie  on.  I  called  a 
brother's  attention  to  it  and  he  went  to  this  biotlici- 
and  talked  to  him  and  he  took  his  tie  off.  I  judj^cd 
from  the  appearance  of  that  tie  that  it  cost  about 
one  dollar  and  a  half.  Let  us  count  them  at  a  lea- 
sonable  price,  and  say  those  four  hundred  pi-eacii- 
ers  had  on  ties  that  cost  seventy-live  ceiiis  apiece, 
that  would  make  the  ties  for  those  four  hundred 
preachei's  cost  three  hundred  dollars.  Who  would 
pay  foi-  them?  The  saints  of  ( Jod.  1  know  a  woman 
that  washes  for  a  li\  iiii;  that  puiposed  in  her  heart 
to  give  one  dollar  per  month  to  tlie  cause  of  Christ 
to  support  the  work  of  CJod.  A\'ouldn't  it  be  a 
shame  for  a  minister  to  take  that  Avoman's  hard 
earned  money  that  she  sweat  over  the  wasliltoard 
to  earn  for  him  and  he  give  seventy-five  cents  of  that 
month's  donation  for  a  tie.  This  woman  I  have  in 
mind  has  four  deaf  and  dumb  children  that  she  is 
anxious  for  (lod  to  heal.  It  Avould  l)e  a  shame  to 
see  that  woman's  hard  earned  money  going  to  l)uy 
a  necktie  for  the  preacher  to  mak(?  him  look  l>e- 
coming  when  he  takes  his  ])lace  in  the  ]>ulpil.  Can 
she  have  contidence  to  ask  him  to  pray  for  her  deaf 
and  dund)  children  to  be  healed?  God  Almighty 
put  shame  on  the  nntiisters  and  i>ull  the  scales  back 
from  our  eyes  and  help  us  to  behold  Jesus  flirist 
in  his  puiity  as  he  stood  before  the  people  ami 
si)oke  as  nnm  nevei*  spake,  and  set  an  example  that 
Ave  nnght  follow  in  his  steps. 

Spoke  as  nevei-  man  spake.  Ui-othei-,  h^t  us  not 
be  dnnil)  dogs,  bnt  cry  aloiul  and  spare  not.  \<)\\ 
may  get  luMsecution.  and  you  may  meet  with  hard 
ships.  Those  who  haxc  catei-e<l  to  the  woild  and  have 
been  afraid  to  bark,  and  afraid  that  tli(\v  would  not 
get  their  exjKMises  jtaid,  will  oppose  us.  l?nt  (Jod 
Almighty  will   keep  his  hand  on  you,  and  at    the 


238  now  I  uoT  faith 

groat  judgment  bar  of  God,  when  that  reckoning 
day  shall  come,  you  can  face  all  mankind  with  a 
clear  conscience.  You  can  say  I  have  preached  the 
truth,  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  kept  the 
faith,  I  have  never  perverted  the  word  of  God,  or 
failed  to  deliver  the  messages  that  God  has  given 
me.  Then  you  can  hear  those  welcome  words  to 
come  up  a  little  higher.  But  woe  unto  the  man  who 
has  once  preached  the  truth,  dressed  plain,  set  the 
example  to  others,  but  has  retrograded  from  the 
truth,  gone  into  worldly  conformity;  has  failed  to 
preach  the  truth,  led  some  after  him,  then  to  hear 
the  awful  words,  "Depart  from  me  ye  workers  of 
iniquity,  I  never  knew  you."  Then  he  may  cry,  "I 
have  prophesied  in  thy  name,  I  have  cast  out  devils 
in  thy  name."  But  God  will  say,  "I  never  knew 
you."  Sad,  sad,  after  preaching  to  others  to  be 
a  castaway.  I  pray  God  to  strengthen  your  soul, 
brother  minister,  and  help  you  to  stand  steadfast 
in  the  faith  and  to  hold  up  the  truth  for  which 
Jesus  died. 

Ezekiel  34  :l-3,  ''And  the  word  of  the  Lord  came 
unto  me,  saying.  Son  of  man,  prophesy  against  the 
shepherds  of  Israel,  prophesy,  and  say  unto  tliem, 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  unto  the  shepherds  of 
Israel  that  do  feed  themselves !  should  not  the  shep- 
herds feed  the  flock?  Ye  eat  the  fat,  and  ye  clothe 
you  Avith  the  wool,  ye  kill  them  that  are  fed:  but 
ye  feed  not  the  flock."  We  find  the  gospel  in  its 
fullness  feeds  the  children  of  God  and  fattens  the 
soul,  it  makes  them  flourish,  and  puts  them  to  where 
they  can  anchor  their  souls  in  God  and  stand  on  his 
w-ord.  But  if  the  Word  is  not  preached,  but  is  per- 
verted and  made  a  lie  it  kills  the  souls  of  those 
wiio  have  eaten  of  the  Word  of  God,  discourages 
them  and  causes  them  to  doubt  the  whole  Word  of 
God.  For  instance  if  they  find  out  that  the  scrip- 
ture in  James  5,  beginning  with  the  fourteenth 
verse,  does  not  mean  that  they  should  call  for  the 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  239 

elders  of  the  clun'cli,  but  lliat  they  should  ciiU  lor 
a  doc-tor,  aud  that  tiicy  should  take  some  remedy, 
must  uot  be  auointed  and  prayed  lor,  but  be  anoint- 
ed with  some  liniment  and  use  some  simple  remedy. 
This  kills  them  si)iritually.  Why  does  the  shep- 
herd teach  this?  Why  does  he  weaken  on  divine 
healing?  Because  he  is  afraid  to  preach  the  Avhoh; 
Bible  and  lill  the  place  God  has  said  an  elder  should 
fill,  and  he  cannot  pray  the  prayer  of  faith.  There- 
fore, he  has  faltered  and  failed  to  walk  in  the  liuht 
of  the  gospel. 

The  Fourth  verse  of  tliis  same  chapter  is  as  fol- 
lows: *'The  diseased  have  ye  not  streiiiithened, 
neither  have  ye  liealed  that  which  was  sick,  neitli- 
er  have  ye  botmd  tip  that  which  was  l>roken,  neith- 
er have  ye  brought  again  that  which  was  diiven 
away,  neither  have  ye  sought  that  which  was  lost  : 
but  with  force  and  with  cruelty  have  ye  tided 
them."'  Bretliern,  1  have  been  taught  for  years  that 
I  should  dress  plain.  I  have  taught  it  to  others, 
and  they  have  conformed  to  my  teaching.  Tliey 
have  separated  themselves  from  the  world,  like 
Jesus  said  to  his  father  in  the  17th  chapter  of  St. 
John  when  praying  for  the  disciples  that  they  were 
not  of  the  world  even  as  he  is  not  of  the  worhl.  So 
these  people  Inive  looked,  dressed  and  lived  so  that 
people  in  watching  them  can  see  that  they  are  not 
of  the  world  even  as  Christ  is  not  of  the  world,  and 
like  him  their  lives  and  examides  have  Iteeii  a  re- 
buke to  sin.  Now,  in  case  1  should  coiitoiiii  lo  the 
world,  juit  on  my  tie,  go  back  to  conroiiniiig  to  the 
world,  go  to  i)rea<h  to  these  people  wealing  what 
I  have  preached  against,  they  would  iduse  i(t  ac- 
cept me  as  a  man  of  (Jod.  1  meet  a  body  of  min- 
isters and  foi'ce  them  to  a<ce|il  me.  "ami  with  ciiiel- 
ty  Inive  ye  ruled  tluuii,"  then  in  what  are  we  dilfer- 
ent  from  the  sect  ])reacliers.  if  we  do  those  things 
that  they  do.  God  Alndghty,  ])Ut  slnime  on  our 
souls,  htmnlitv  in   otir  liearls  and  give  us  such  a 


240  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

love  for  humanity  that  will  enable  us  to  have  the 
flock  of  God,  and  the  cause  of  Christ  on  our  hearts 
above  everything  else  in  this  Avorld. 

In  the  Fifth  verse  we  notice,  "And  they  were 
scattered  because  there  is  no  shepherd:  and  they 
became  meat  to  all  the  beasts  of  the  field,  when 
they  were  scattered."  Also  verses  six  and  seven, 
"My  sheep  wandered  through  all  the  mountains, 
and  upon  every  high  hill:  yea,  my  flock  was  scat- 
tered upon  all  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  none  did 
search  or  seek  after  them.  Therefore,  ye  shepherds, 
hear  the  word  of  the  Lord."  According  to  this 
prophesy,  as  I  understand  it,  God  has  chosen  the 
ndnisters  of  this  reformation  to  gather  up  this  scat- 
tered flock.  To  bring  in  the  wandering  sheep  that 
there  might  be  one  shepherd  and  one  fold.  To  let 
the  New  Testament  be  their  discipline,  and  to  let 
the  spirit  of  God  hold  them  together.  Let  the  min- 
isters, as  ministers,  see  eye  to  eye.  Let  our  Godly 
messages,  our  sacrifice,  denying  ourselves  the  form 
and  fashion  of  this  world,  be  a  light  and  an  example 
to  them  and  by  so  doing  encourage  their  souls  to 
come  to  us  for  teaching  and  for  help.  Let  us  do 
this,  but  let  us  not  scatter  them. 

Paul  was  a  good  preacher.  He  said  if  meat  of- 
fend my  brother  I  ^\i\\  eat  no  more  meat  while  I 
live.  If  conforming  to  the  world  offends  my  broth- 
er I  will  not  conform  to  the  world.  Pride  brings 
the  desire  to  conform  to  the  world.  Strife  and  bad 
spirits  make  division.  Clean  up,  you  preachers  who 
have  been  preaching  for  years,  spend  the  money 
that  the  saints  of  God  give  you  for  such  things  as 
you  stand  in  need  of.  Do  not  go  to  buying  super- 
fluities, neckties  and  such  things,  and  come  out 
and  impose  yourself  upon  the  saints  as  a  man  of 
God,  and  one  who  is  walking  in  the  light  of  the 
gospel:  then  if  they  complain  about  it,  say  they 
have  a  bad  spirit  and  are  making  division.  God 
put  a  rebuke  upon  the  powers  of  hell  and  stop  the 


now  I  (;(>T  lAiTii  241 

work  of  The  devil  that  is  ti^viiiu  to  dcslioy  ilic  unity 
of  tlic  chin'ch  of  (iod. 

In  flu-  eighth  and  ninth  verses,  we  see  as  fol- 
lows: "As  I  live,  saith  the  Loid  (Jod,  stirely  be- 
cause my  tlock  brM-anie  a  piey,  and  my  Hock  became 
meat  to  every  beast  of  the  field,  because  there  was 
no  she])herd,  neither  did  my  shepherds  search  for 
my  fiock.  l)ut  the  shei)herds  fed  themselves,  and  fed 
not  my  Hock.  Therefore,  O  ye  shepherds,  hear  the 
word  of  the  Lord."  Also  the  Tenth  verse,  "Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God ;  Behold,  I  am  against  the  shep- 
hei-ds :  an<l  I  will  require  my  flock  at  their  hand, 
and  cause  them  to  cease  from  feeding  the  flock; 
neither  shall  the  shepherds  feed  themselves  any 
more,  for  I  will  deliver  my  flock  from  their  mouth, 
that  they  may  not  be  meat  for  them." 

Look  out,  my  brotlier,  if  you  once  pi'eached  the 
radical  truth  as  the  spirit  of  (Jod  has  moved  on  the 
hearts  of  his  peo]de  to  support  you  :  if  you  are  now 
conforming  to  the  world,  you  may  expect  your  ra- 
tions to  get  short,  and  the  next  thing  you  will  be 
hunting  a  job  of  work.  This  conformity  to  the 
world  has  not  been  ])ra<tice(l  long  l>y  the  minis- 
ters, but  I  have  already  received  a  letter  from  a 
minister  wiio  has  Ix'cn  a  minister  of  the  hosjm'I  foi- 
years,  who  once  was  radical  for  the  truth,  but  now 
has  begun  to  compromise,  and  he  said  that  he  had 
to  get  him  a  job  of  work  to  suport  his  family.  (Jod 
will  not  su]>poi"t  men  who  Avill  not  stand  for  the 
truth  of  the  gospel.  (Jod  will  not  force  his  <hildi-en 
to  feed  men  who  will  not  feed  them  with  the  word 
of  God. 

See  verse  eleven  and  twelve  of  \v/M.  .'J  I  :  "l•^tr 
thus  saith  tlu'  Lord  (Jod:  H«'hold  I.  excn  L  will 
both  search  my  sheei>.  and  seek  iliciii  out.  As  a 
shepherd  seeketh  out  his  Hock  in  the  day  that  he 
is  among  his  sheeji  that  ai-e  scattered:  so  will  I 
seek  out  my  sheej),  and  will  deliver  them  out  of  all 
places  A\  here  they  have  been  scatteicd  in  the  cloudy 


242  now   I   GOT  FAITH 

and  dark  day."  Now,  we  realize  that  this  has  re- 
ference to  the  false  teachers  and  sectarian  preach- 
ers, but  my  brotlier,  if  we  have  retroiiraded  from 
the  truth,  though  we  have  been  used  of  God  and 
Avon  others  to  the  truth ;  are  we  aiiy  diffk^rent  from 
them?  Do  we  not  come  under  this  scripture  as  well 
as  they? 

Also  see  verses  eighteen  ar»d  nineteen :  "Seemeth 
it  a  small  thing  unto  you  to  have  eaten  up  the  good 
pasture,  but  ye  must  tread  down  with  your  feet 
the  residue  of  your  pastures?  and  to  have  drunk  of 
the  deep  Avaters,  but  ye  nuist  foul  the  residue  Avith 
your  feet?  And  as  for  my  flock,  they  eat  that 
Avhicli  ye  have  trodden  with  your  feet;  and  they 
drink  that  which  ye  have  fouled  with  your  feet." 
The  man  that  claims  to  be  called  of  God:  and 
denies  the  promises  of  God  to  his  children,  such  as 
sanctification  as  a  second  Avork  of  grace,  divine 
healing  of  the  body,  oneness  of  God's  people;  that 
ignores  the  scriptures  that  teach  this  and  makes 
fun  of  them,  he  has  eaten  the  good  pasture,  he  has 
trodden  down  Avith  his  feet  the  good  things  that  God 
has  given,  he  has  ignored  them.  But  God's  people 
eat  that  Avhicli  has  been  trodden  with  their  feet, 
and  they  drink  that  Avhich  has  been  fouled  A\dth 
their  feet.  They  rejoice  in  the  truth  of  God.  The 
saints  of  God  accept  the  word  of  God  wliich  the 
false  teachers  reject  and  it  is  food  for  their  soul 
while  the  sheep  fed  by  the  hireling  shepherd  are 
starAdng  for  the  word  of  God. 

In  the  verses  20,  21,  22,  23 :  "Therefore  thus 
saith  the  Lord  God  unto  them :  Behold,  I,  even  I, 
Avill  judge  between  the  fat  cattle  and  betAveen  the 
lean  cattle.  Because  ye  have  thrust  with  side  and 
Avith  shoulder,  and  pushed  all  the  diseased  Avith 
your  horns,  till  ye  liaAe  scattered  them  abroad; 
Therefore  will  I  save  my  flock,  and  they  shall  no 
more  be  a  prey;  and  I  will  judge  betAAcen  cattle 
and  cattle.     And  I  A\all  set  up  one  shepherd  over 


jiow  I  (ioT  1  AiTii  I'i;; 

them.'"  I  would  say  i(»  i  lie  jx-oidc  of  (iod.  Id  us  <j;o 
to  work  in  the  light  of  the  gospel,  ignore  the  work 
of  the  devil,  be  true  to  (Jod,  and  he  will  take  care 
of  you.  Vou,  who  ignoi-e  (lod's  irutli,  lliat  lu*  has 
called  you  to  lucacli.  and  have  trodden  ii  undci-  your 
feet,  and  set  it  aside,  lie  will  set  you  aside  and  stop 
Ms  people  from  feeding  you. 

Isaiah  42 :1(),  "And  I  will  bring  llu*  blind  by 
a  Avay  that  they  knew  not :  I  will  lead  (hem  in  paihs 
that  they  have  not  known  :  I  will  make  darkness 
light  before  them,  and  crooked  things  straight. 
These  things  will  I  do  unto  them,  and  not  forsake 
them."  Have  you  ever  seen  i)eo|>le  that  have  this 
experience,  that  have  been  led  out  of  sect  coid'usion, 
and  brought  into  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  when 
they  first  heard  the  truth  they  thought  it  was  ter- 
rible. Thought  that  it  was  destroying  tlic  church, 
and  tearing  down  the  work  of  (Jod.  IJut  when  they 
received  the  light  from  (Jod  they  walked  in  the 
light,  and  God  turned  their  darkness  to  light.  The 
man  of  (Jod  that  stood  pei-secution  and  pi-eached 
the  truth  clear  and  plain  and  showed  to  them  their 
crooked  ways  shall  not  lose  his  reward.  (Jod  led 
those  peoj)le  by  n  Avay  that  they  knew  not  of  and 
opened  the  l)lind  eyes  of  those  who  wanted  to  un- 
derstand and  showed  them  tlie  way  unto  the  House 
rf  the  liord. 

Jeremiah  14:14,  "Then  the  Lord  said  unto  me, 
The  ])rophets  ])rophesy  lies  in  my  name:  I  sent 
them  not.  neither  have  I  connnanded  them,  licit hei* 
spake  unto  them:  they  pr()j)he.sy  unto  you  a  false 
vision  and  divination,  and  a  thing  of  nought,  and 
the  deceit  of  their  hear!"  \Vlien  man  preaches 
today  something  that  is  not  (lod's  word,  yet  claims 
that  (^lod  sent  him  we  can  know  that  (Jod  never 
sent  him.  When  a  man  teaches  lies  he  is  not  sent 
of  Ood.  When  a  man  preaches  something  that  wil! 
kill  s])irituality  he  is  not  sent  of  ("Jod. 

Jeremiah  1*.">:1-I,  "Woe  l>e  unio  the  ]>asiois  ijiai 


244  HOW   I   GOT   FAITH 

destroy  and  scatter  the  sheep  of  my  i)astuie!  saith 
the  Lord.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel  against  the  pastors  that  feed  my  peofjle;  Ye 
have  scattered  my  flock,  and  driven  them  away, 
and  have  not  visited  them ;  behold,  1  will  visit  upon 
you  the  evil  of  your  doings,  saith  the  Lord.  And  I 
will  gather  the  remnant  of  my  flock  out  of  all  the 
countries  whither  I  have  driven  them,  and  T^dll 
bring  them  again  to  their  folds ;  and  they  shall  be 
fruitful  and  increase.  And  I  will  set  up  shepherds 
over  them  which  shall  feed  them ;  and  they  shall 
fear  no  more,  nor  be  dismayed,  neither  shall  they 
be  lacking,  saith  the  Lord."  Now,  brother,  as  God 
has  fulfilled  this  prophesy  and  has  gathered  his 
peoj)le  out  of  the  places  where  they  have  been  scat- 
tered and  set  us  over  them  to  teach  them  to  not  con- 
form to  the  world,  and  to  hold  them  together  by 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  be  true  to  your  calling. 
Fear  not  to  do  what  God  has  called  you  to  do  and  to 
fill  your  place,  that  w^hen  you  come  to  the  great 
Judgment  Bar  of  God  you  can  hear  the  welcome 
words,  "Well  done  thou  good  and  faithful  servant, 
come  up  a  little  higher." 

Zachariah  11 :3,  "There  is  a  voice  of  the  howl- 
ing of  the  shepherds;  for  their  glory  is  spoiled:  a 
voice  of  the  roaring  of  young  lions ;  for  th  e  pride  of 
Jordan  is  spoiled."  We  see  this  prophesy  fulfilled 
today.  There  is  a  howling  and  crying  out  against 
the  ministers  of  God  that  spend  their  time  for  the 
glory  of  God.  It  is  a  common  thing  to  hear  people 
say  when  you  go  into  a  community  where  the  truth 
has  been  preached,  "They  are  the  Evening  Light- 
ers," or  spoken  of  as  the  "Gospel  Trumpeters,"  or 
"Those  Church  of  God  People."  And  they  will  say, 
"Those  people  have  come  here  to  tear  up  the 
church ;"  and  that  the  trouble  of  it  is  that  they  got 
all  of  our  besfc  members,  our  paying  members.  This 
can  easily  be  explained,  for  God  says  in  Kevela- 
tion,  "Come  out  of  her  my  people."    He  just  calls 


now  I  GOT  FAITH  1'45 

His  people.  He  does  not  call  those  who  aic  not 
his  people,  except  to  call  them  to  repentance.  So 
the  ones  that  God  calls  out  of  Babylon  are  liis 
people. 

Romans  IG  :17-18,  "Xow  I  beseech  yon,  bretli<Mn, 
mark  them  which  cause  divisions  and  ollcnses  con- 
trary to  the  doctrine  which  ye  have  learned;  and 
avoid  them.  For  the}'  that  are  such  serve  not  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  their  own  belly,  and  by  ;:^ood 
words  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts  of  the 
simple."  God  does  not  mean  in  this  tliose  that 
cause  division  by  preaching  the  truth  and  causing 
the  children  of  God  to  como  out  of  confusion,  l)ut 
he  means  to  mark  those  that  cause  division  among 
the  childi'en  of  CJod  by  conforming  to  the  world, 
and  teaching  things  not  according  to  God's  word; 
to  mark  them  and  avoid  them.  The  gosjx'l  of  Jesus 
Chiist  will  never  di\ide  the  children  of  (Uh\.  A  (Jod- 
ly  holy  life  thus  brought  about  by  teav  ning  tlie 
Bible  in  its  purity  will  never  make  any  differences 
or  divisions  Ix'tweon  those  who  liave  tlic  s|>irit  of 
God.    It  will  hold  them  together. 

2  Timothy  3:1-3,  "This  know  also,  that  in  tl»e 
last  days  perilous  times  shall  come.  For  men  sliall 
be  lovers  of  .their  own  selves,  covetous,  boasters, 
proud,  blasphemers,  disobedient  to  ])ai'ents,  unUiank- 
ful,  unlioly,  without  natural  affection,  truccbicak- 
ers,  false  accusers,  incontinent,  fierce,  desjnsers  of 
those  that  are  good."  This  prophesy  has  come  true. 
It  is  fulfilled  now  right  in  the  town  where  we  live. 
Here  we  visit  the  sick.  There  are  thosc^  Ihm-c  wlio 
have  come  from  a  distance  with  lung  trouble  .seek- 
ing health  from  the  climate.  We  visit  all  we  can 
and  try  to  encourage  them,  ami  try  to  get  them  to 
see  what  God  has  for  them.  ^Nfany  have  given  up 
the  doctors  and  trusted  the  Lord  for  their  healing, 
and  some  have  been  healed,  and  others  are  improv- 
ing. The  doctors  and  friends  to  the  woild,  and 
sectaiian  ]>T'ea(he!-s,  togcMher  witli  lay  nienibei-s  f(>ll 


240  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

them  that  we  are  of  the  devil,  that  we  are  division 
makers ;  that  we  are  not  to  be  relied  upon,  yet  God 
honors  our  work  here. 

Verse  four:  "Traitors,  heady,  highminded,  lov- 
ers of  pleasures  more  than  lovers  of  God."  The 
preachers  and  church  members  that  do  this  fre- 
quent the  shows  and  worldly  places  of  anuisement. 

Verse  five:  "Having  a  form  of  godliness,  but 
denying  the  power  thereof;  from  such  turn  away." 
For  of  this  sort  are  they  which  creep  into  houses, 
and  lead  captive  silly  women  laden  with  sins,  led 
away  with  divers  lusts.  Ever  learning,  and  never 
able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  Now 
as  Jannes  and  Jambres  withstood  Moses,  so  do 
these  also  resist  the  truth;  men  of  corrupt  minds, 
reprobate  concerniag  the  faith.  But  they  shall 
proceed  no  further :  for  their  folly  shall  be  mani- 
fest unto  all  men,  as  their's  also  was."  Now,  this 
prophesy  is  being  fulfilled  in  Roswell,  New  Mexico, 
they  are  being  exposed  by  the  word  of  God,  and  the 
honest  people  are  beginning  to  see  it. 

We  find  in  2  John  1:9-11,  "Whosoever  trans- 
gresseth,  and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
hath  not  God.  He  that  abideth  in  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  he  hath  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  If  there 
come  any  unto  you,  and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  re- 
ceive him  not  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God 
epeed.  For  he  that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  par- 
taker of  his  evil  deeds."  It  seems  hard  for  some 
people  to  get  the  understanding  of  this.  They  think 
it  would  be  too  hard  not  to  receive  any  one  into 
their  house,  and  even  not  to  go  to  hear  some  preach- 
ers who  come  into  the  community.  But  God  means 
w^hat  he  says,  "If  there  come  any  unto  you,  and 
bring  not  this  doctrine,"  the  doctrine  of  Jesus 
Christ,  "receive  him  not  into  your  house,  neither 
bid  him  God  speed,  for  he  that  biddeth  him  God 
speed  is  partaker  of  his  e'sil  deeds." 

At  one  time  there  was  a  man  knocked  at  the 


now   1  HUT  FAlTii  L'lT 

door  of  my  liome.  i  wcMit  to  the  door.  The  man 
iiilroduccd  himsell  as  Kcverend  »So  and  t?o,  and 
a  founder  of  a  certain  holiness  faction.  I  invited 
him  to  come  in,  he  said,  "Let  me  get  my  company." 
He  stepped  back  a  few  steps  and  called  lo  a  couple 
of  yotmg  ladies.  He  introduced  them  as  his  daugh- 
ter and  a  young  lady  that  was  traveling  with  them. 
They  had  tambourines  and  stringed  instruments 
and  tliey  wanted  to  stay  over  night.  1  kept  them.  I 
talked  to  him  as  long  as  he  would  talk  to  me,  but 
finally  at  a  very  late  hour  he  sulled  on  me  and  went 
to  sleep.  He  told  me  that  he  had  a  Gospel  Trum- 
pet that  was  printed  twenty  years  ago,  ami  had 
read  that  paper  frequently  since  then.  1  did  not 
have  so  mucli  mercy  on  him  then  as  I  had  before, 
for  then  I  saw  that  he  had  had  the  truth  and  would 
not  accept  it. 

In  tlie  morning  aftei-  breakla.st  he  asked  me  if 
he  held  a  meeting  in  town  if  he  could  have  the  use 
of  my  room.  I  thought  he  had  reference  to  the 
meeting  house.  I  said,  "Well,  the  saints  of  God  have 
bought  this  house  for  tlie  pnri)ose  of  having  the  jture 
gospel  i)reached  in  it,  and  those  who  will  preach 
the  pure  gospel  are  welcome  to  preach  in  it."  My 
wife  then  said  to  me,  "Papa,  he  does  not  mean  <he 
meeting  house,  but  he  wants  the  rooms  they  had 
last  night."  He  said,  with  a  sneering,  grinning  look 
on  his  face,  "Don't  kick  before  you  are  spurred.  I 
do  not  want  your  meeting  hotise."  I  said.  "I  will 
read  yoti  some  scripture,"  and  I  read  Hie  tcnlh 
verse  of  2nd  John,  "If  there  come  any  unto  you,  and 
bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive  liim  not  into  your 
house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed."  T  said  to  him, 
"Now,  if  you  are  passing  through  this  town  and 
want  to  stay  all  night,  as  yon  did  last  nigh(,  T  \\  ill 
keep  you."  He  laughed  and  said,  "I  have  read  that 
scripture  many  a  time."  I  said,  "I  am  holding 
this  down  on  you  to  show  you  that  T  cannot  kwp 
you  here  to  pour  out  your  false  doctrine  on   tlic 


248  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

people,  if  1  did  keep  you  I  would  win  against  God, 
and  I  cannot  do  it.  He  went  on  dow^n  town,  and 
a  brother  came  and  told  nie  that  he  preached  on 
the  street  where  there  were  four  saloons  in  hear- 
ing. That  the  preae.her  gave  the  saloon  keepers  a 
great  lift.  Told  them  they  were  doing  an  honor- 
able business,  and  paying  their  license  and  no  man 
had  a  right  to  harm  or  molest  them ;  that  they  were 
doing  a  legitimate  business,  and  also  said,  "God 
bless  the  saloon-keepers,  I  love  them."  The  two 
young  ladies  went  through  the  saloons  with  their 
tambourines  and  took  up  a  collection.  TMien  I 
heard  this  I  was  glad  they  w^ere  not  stopping  at  my 
house.  When  he  left  my  house  he  said  to  me, 
"When  you  come  to  my  town  come  to  my  house," 
giving  the  number  and  street,  "and  you  will  find 
a  hearty  welcome."  I  said,  "Very  well,  but  I  T\ill 
promise  you  one  thing,  if  I  come  to  your  town  and 
to  your  house,  I  will  preach  the  gospel,  I  will  not 
preach  false  doctrine." 

St.  John  3 :34:.  "For  he  Avhom  God  hath  sent 
speaketh  the  words  of  God ;  for  God  giveth  not  the 
Spirit  by  measure  unto  him."  This  makes  it  very 
easy  for  a  sinner  to  detect  whether  a  pj'eacher  is 
of  God  or  not,  for  he  who  speaks  the  W^ord  of  God 
is  sent  of  God,  but  a  man  who  speaks  the  word  of 
man  is  sent  of  man  and  perverts  the  word  of  God, 
is  not  sent  of  God. 

John  &:47,  "He  that  is  of  God  heareth  God's 
words :  ye  therefore  hear  them  not  because  ye  are 
not  of  God."  This  is  the  way  to  distinguish  be- 
tween God's  children  and  those  who  are  not  his 
children,  because  his  cliildren  hear  his  word,  and 
those  who  are  not  his  children  will  not  hear  it.  He 
sends  his  preachers  to  preach  his  word,  his  people 
hear  and  accept  his  word,  and  they  come  out  of 
confusion. 

We  find  in  2  Corinthians  6:14-16,  "Be  ye  not 
unequally   yoked   together   with   unbelieve-s :    for 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  249 

"what  fellowship  huth  riuhteousiiess  with  unri;;lit- 
eousness?  and  what  coiiunuiiion  hath  lij;lit  with 
(larkuess?  And  what  concord  hath  Christ  with 
I^elial?  or  what  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an 
infidel?  And  what  agreement  hath  the  temple  of 
God  with  idols?  for  ye  are  the  temple  of  the  living 
God;  as  God  hath  said.  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and 
walk  in  them;  and  I  will  be  their  God  and  they 
shall  be  my  people."'  What  communion  hath  light 
with  darkness;  what  fellowship  hath  a  saint  of  (Jod 
with  one  that  does  not  believe  the  word  of  (lod? 
What  comfort  is  it  to  a  saint  of  God  who  believes 
the  gospel  of  Christ  to  go  into  a  secret  order  and 
worship  a  skeleton  or  an  image  of  some  kind? 

At  one  time  I  was  preaching  in  a  Woodman 
Hall  where  there  was  hanging  a  maul,  a  wedge 
and  an  ax.  I  said,  ''Some  worship  the  maul,  wedge 
and  the  ax,  but  I  worship  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost."  The  next  night  I  got  an  egging.  It  was 
found  out  later  that  the  preachers  son,  who  was  a 
Woodman,  furnished  the  eggs,  and  threw  the  first 
one. 

An  old  lady  seventy-eight  years  old  was  in  the 
hack  with  me,  she  had  lived  there  in  that  vicinity 
for  seventy  years.  Had  never  been  in  a  court  room, 
had  never  given  her  evidence  in  court.  Had  l)een 
a  church  member  from  a  child.  One  year  before 
this  meeting  my  son  and  another  brother  went  there 
to  preach  for  the  first  time.  During  this  meeting 
she  learned  for  the  first  time  that  there  was  an  Old 
and  a  New  Testament.  She  accepted  the  truth. 
She  also  was  hit  with  the  eggs.  Her  son  was  Just  ice 
of  the  Peace,  the  other  son  was  in  the  hack  with 
me.  The  Justice  of  the  Peace  was  a  member  of  the 
Woodman  Lodge.  The  son  who  was  Justice  of  the 
Peace  phoned  over  to  his  brother's  home  to  inquire 
how  his  mother  was  the  next  morning.  He  told 
him  that  we  had  had  an  egging  as  we  started  home. 
He  nsked  If  his  mother  had  been  hurt.    He  told  him 


250  HOAV  I  GOT  FAITH 

that  they  hurt  her  neck.  He  said,  "I  will  be  there 
directly."  He  soon  came  and  he  was  a  very  angry 
man.  Said  that  he  would  give  fifty  dollars  to  know 
one  man  Avho  llncw  cuus.  1  said  to  him,  "Listen 
to  me,  if  you  and  your  brother  and  mother  will  sit 
on  the  platform  tonight  facing  the  congregation  I 
will  show  you  the  man  or  men  who  threw  tlie 
eggs,  and  it  will  cost  you  nothing."  He  said,  "I  will 
do  it."  That  night  they  sat  on  the  rostrum.  The 
old  lady  sat  between  her  sons.  I  told  the  people 
that  I  was  ashamed  of  them.  That  here  sat  an  old 
lady  who  had  been  a  citizen  of  their  town  for  seven- 
ty years ;  had  never  done  any  one  a  wrong,  or  ever 
said  a  word  of  harm  against  any  one,  and  was  sup- 
posed to  be  loved  by  all  the  people.  That  just  a 
year  ago  she  found  out  that  there  was  an  Old  and 
a  New  Testament,  and  that  there  was  a  God  that 
would  hear  and  answer  prayer. 

I  said,  "You  are  not  interested  in  the  preachers, 
did  not  ask  us  home  with  you.  Did  you  know  that 
this  old  lady  was  milking  three  cows  and  keeping  us 
preachers?"  That  she  was  working  hard  all  day 
and  riding  out  here  to  hear  the  gospel.  That  as  she 
went  home  last  night  she  got  an  egging  from  some 
dirty  scamps  just  simply  because  she  was  in  the 
hack  with  me  and  I  had  said  something  about  a 
maul,  a  w^edge  and  an  ax,  and  held  up  Christ.  Be 
ashamed  of  yourselves,  you  law-breaking  Wood- 
men of  the  community.  One  old  man  hollered  out 
that  he  was  ashamed.  I  said,  "Why  didn't  you 
say  you  wanted  to  egg  me?  I  would  have  stopped 
the  hack  and  got  out  and  let  you  egg  me  all  you 
wanted  to,  and  not  hurt  this  kind  old  lady.  You 
hurt  her  neck  and  it  is  sore  and  she  cannot  turn 
her  head. 

I  looked  at  the  congregation,  looked  at  the  ex- 
pression of  shame  on  their  faces,  and  said,  "There 
are  the  men  who  threw  eggs,"  and  pointed  Ihem  out. 
The  Justice  of  the  Peace  arose  and  said,  "I  am  done 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  L\")l 

with  the  Woodmen  Order/"  He  saw  they  were 
members  of  his  lodge.  "My  time  and  my  iiioney 
have  been  spent  in  this  thing.  But  I  will  not  be 
hooked  up  with  a  lot  of  outlaws  who  will  egg  my 
mother  and  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
so  I  come  out  of  it  and  will  have  no  more  to  do 
with  it."  He  obeped  this  scripture  where  Jesus 
says  in  2  Cor.  G  :1G,  ''And  what  agreement  hath  the 
temple  of  God  with  idols?  for  ye  are  the  temple  of 
the  living  God;  as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  in 
them,  and  walk  in  them;  and  I  will  be  their  God, 
and  they  shall  be  my  people."  Also  the  17th  and 
18th  verses,  ''Wherefore  come  out  for  among  them, 
and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not 
the  unclean  thing;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will 
be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  .«ons  and 
daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Aimighty." 

Brother,  it  may  be  possible  that  you  have  looked 
at  sectism  and  their  -workUiness  and  selfishness  and 
have  decided  that  the  secret  orders  are  better  than 
sectism.  I  do  not  blame  you.  I  believe  that  today 
some  of  the  secret  orders  stand  far  above  the  sect- 
arian institutions  in  benevolence,  as  in  visiting  and 
caring  for  the  sick  and  the  poor,  in  fact  I  know  it. 
But  did  you  know  that  Jesus  Christ  had  something 
better?  That  the  salvation  of  God  will  make  us  to 
love  one  another  as  Christ  loved  us,  and  give  you 
eternal  life,  which  no  man  made  institution  can 
do.  You  can  serve  your  secret  order  all  your  life, 
pay  your  hard  earned  money,  and  then  lay  down 
and  die  and  be  lost.  You  can  serve  God  nccording 
to  the  New  Testament  and  enjoy  salvation  and  the 
fellowship  of  God's  people  while  yon  liv(\  :nid  be 
a  blessing  to  fallen  and  suffering  humanity.  Then 
when  you  bid  farewell  to  this  world,  and  your  soul 
is  wafted  to  the  throne  of  God,  you  will  rcjoico  for- 
ever with  God  and  the  angels  jnnl  Jesus  Christ 
who  died  for  you,  while  your  body  will  be  ]iionl<lpr- 
inc:  in  the  grave. 


252  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

I  pray  God  to  bless  tMs  message  to  the  good  of 
humanity;  to  the  edifying  of  the  children  of  God; 
to  the  destroying  of  the  work  of  the  devil,  and  to 
the  upbuilding  of  God's  cause.  I  have  written  this 
book  with  the  view  of  being  a  help  to  those  who  read 
it.  With  no  malice  in  my  heart ;  with  no  ill  feeling 
towards  any  one ;  and  with  a  prayer  in  my  soul  to 
God  that  He  will  bear  witness  to  the  words  which 
I  have  written  and  make  it  a  blessing  to  all  who 
read  it. 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  253 


CHArTEK  XX. 


HOW  TO  MAKE  SAINTS 


For  many  yeiirs  I  have  been  bolherod,  seoiiij::  so 
many  childioii  who  are  taught  to  know  God  when 
small,  and  when  large  enough  to  go  to  school,  they 
are  persecuted  and  made  lun  of  because  of  their 
faith,  until  they  become  ashamed  of  their  i)arent8 
who  live  a  sainted  life,  and  trust  God  for  their  heal- 
ing, and  abstain  from  Avorldliness  and  su])('rf1uity  of 
dress.  When  my  boys  were  small  they  knew  noth- 
ing except  to  trust  God  for  all  they  ate  and  wore, 
as  well  as  for  their  alllictions.  I  thought  if  I  could 
keep  tbem  this  way  till  they  were  gi-own,  what 
wonderful  faith  they  would  have.  When  tliey  start- 
ed to  the  Tublic  school,  they  saw  the  wickedness 
of  other  children,  and  heard  them  swear,  saw  them 
(hew  and  smoke  tobacco  and  make  fun  of  the 
saints.  They  never  heard  a  prayer  in  school  or  any 
praise  given  to  God.  It  began  to  have  its  elTect, 
and  in  spite  of  all  I  could  do  talking  to  them — when 
I  was  permitted  to  be  with  them — and  praying  for 
them,  tliey  backslid  and  got  away  from  God.  AN'hcn 
I  would  be  away  from  lioiiie  in  tlie  ministry  for 
weeks,  and  return  home,  T  would  tiiid  tliem  j)laying 
some  of  the  pranks  they  had  learned  at  school, 
hear  them  use  some  of  the  sayings  they  had  heard; 
1  Avonld  talk  to  tlieiii.  ]»r:iy  for  tliem  and  get  them 
saved,  but  wlicii  I  would  return  lioiiic  again  I  would 
find  them  away  from  God.  They  would  tell  me  liow 
the  boys  would  abuse  them  and  make  fun  of  them, 
so  there  was  no  i-emedy  as  1  was  compelled  bv  the 
law  to  send  them  to  school,  and  sonictinics  their 
teachers  would  be  Catholics  and  others  would  make 
no  profession  at  all. 

One  time   when   one   of   niv   boys  was  in    TTigh 


254  HOW  I  GOT  FAITH 

School,  and  I  objected  to  some  of  the  things  in 
which  they  had  him  practicing,  he  told  the  Pro- 
fessor he  could  not  do  that  any  more  as  it  was 
against  my  will.  The  Professor  told  him  to  pay  no 
attention  to  his  old  "fogy"  daddy,  they  would  work 
it  and  he  would  know  nothing  about  it.  My  son 
told  him  he  thanked  God  for  Jiis  '*old  fogy  daddy" 
when  he^  saw  the  other  boys  chewing  and  smoking 
cigarettes.  However,  it  is  sufficient  to  say  they 
never  regained  what  they  lost.  That  childlike  faith, 
that  takes  God  at  Ms  word,  is  what  brings  heal- 
ing, or  any  other  thing  that  we  desire  that  is  ac- 
cording to  God's  word. 

You  must  help  your  children  live  salvation,  by 
watching  over  them,  and  praying  with  them  and 
keeping  them  from  bad  company;  teach  them  the 
evil  of  it. 

There  was  a  little  boy  only  five  years  old  in  the 
Home  and  attending  the  school  here.  There  were 
six  of  the  children  came  to  my  room,  to  get  saved. 
I  prayed  for  them  and  the  Lord  saved  them.  This 
little  boy  saw,  and  heard  me  instruct  them.  In  a 
few  days  he  came  to  the  room,  and  said,  "Brother 
Bro^^i,  I  want  to  get  saved  like  the  other  children." 
I  said,  "Come  and  let  me  talk  to  you  about  it.  I 
took  him  on  my  knee  and  questioned  him.  He  said, 
"I  am  a  bad  boy  and  if  I  should  die  I  would  go  to 
hell."  I  said,  "Are  you  not  a  little  child?"  He 
said,  "Yes."  I  said,  "Do  you  know  Jesus  said,  'Let 
little  children  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not 
for  of  such  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.'  "  "Yes,"  he 
said,  "I  know  this,  but  I  am  not  saved;  I  want  to 
get  saved."  I  could  not  reason  him  out  of  it,  as  he 
was  a  very  bright  child,  and  had  been  under  Chris- 
tian training  for  some  time.  I  prayed  with  him 
and  he  prayed  like  a  grown  person,  asking  God  to 
forgive  him.  After  prayer  he  said  God  saved  him. 
He  lived  different,  and  'would  pray  in  family  wor- 
ship.    I  would  take  him  alone  and  talk  with  him 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  255 

when  he  would  do  wrong.  He  would  ask  our  for- 
giveness and  ask  God  to  forgive  him.  lie  kept  tliis 
up  as  long  as  he  stayed  in  the  Home  and  was  in 
school.  I  am  sure  there  were  impressions  made  on 
this  child  that  will  stay  with  him  througii  life.  If 
this  child  could  be  kept  under  this  training  till  he 
becomes  a  man  and  never  be  taught  any  thing  but  to 
trust  God  as  we  teach  them  hei-e,  when  he  is  grown 
he  would  have  the  Apostolic  Faith. 

Christian  training  is  what  children  need  when 
they  are  young,  to  form  their  lives.  If  the  Catho- 
lics can  take  children,  teach  them  their  faith,  so 
they  Avill  die  by  it  even  after  they  are  giown,  the 
saints  sliould  teacli  tlicir  children  the  (lospcl,  until 
they  would  give  up  their  lives  before  they  would 
give  it  up.  That  is  the  faith  the  Apostolic  Church 
had  which  we  read  of  in  the  fifth  (•ha])t('r  of  Acts — 
that  faith,  the  sixty  million  martyrs  liad — ajid  gave 
up  their  lives  before  they  would  give  up  their  faith. 

Now  God  laid  this  on  my  heart  some  years  ago, 
and  the  way  oiK'ued  nj)  two  years  ago  for  us  to 
have  a  school  of  this  kind  here  in  Roswell.  It  is 
still  going  on,  with  good  success.  We  teach  all 
branches  the  Public  Schools  teach,  as  well  as  the 
Bible  ])lan  of  sjilvation.  We  teach  what  Christ 
came  to  the  world  for  and  what  he  accomplished 
by  his  coming,  and  the  privileges  they  have  through 
the  atoning  blood,  and  how  to  obtain  every  i>rom- 
ise  in  the  Xew  Testament.  We  exhoi-t  the  cliildren 
to  get  saved.  Have  ha<l  some  very  uni-uly  children 
sent  to  the  Home,  but  we  have  succee<h'd  tinough 
prayer  and  patience  to  make  them  good,  obedient 
children. 

Tliere  have  been  some  mistak«'s  and  failuits  in 
Saints'  schools  in  the  past  whicli  have  <ause(l  ihe 
brethern  to  become  discouraged  in  this  matter,  and 
to  think  they  can't  be  carried  on  successfully.  I 
feel  that  God  has  ])erTnitted  me  to  learn  the  secret, 
and  I  have  proved  by  Ihe  last  two  years*  experience 


250  now  I  GOT  FAITH 

that   it  is  possible  ioi-  llic  saints  of  God  to  have 
schools  as  well  as  Catholics  and  Sectarians. 

We  have  pupils  in  the  school  from  Tennessee, 
Louisiana,  and  California;  some  have  moved  here 
to  school  their  children,  others  are  writing  us  from 
different  States  and  Canada,  wanting  to  move  here 
to  school  their  children,  provided  they  could  make 
a  living  here.  We  cannot  encourage  them  to  come 
as  living  is  high,  and  not  sufficient  public  work  here 
to  give  them  employment. 

We  have  been  praying  the  Lord  to  open  a  way, 
in  a  suitable  location,  for  this  purpose,  and  I  be- 
lieve that  God,  in  answer  to  prayer,  has  opened 
the  way.  I  have  leased  a  large  building  in  Mem- 
phis, Tenn.,  for  ten  years,  for  a  Missionary  Home 
and  School.  This  is  a  more  central  point,  easily 
reached  by  railroad  or  water.  There  are  more  pub- 
lic works  there,  which  gives  the  working  class  of 
people  a  chance  to  patronize  the  school. 

We  will  take  pupils  from  a  distance  as  we  do 
here,  care  for  them  as  my  own  children.  There  has 
been  no  complaint  from  the  parents  of  children 
who  are  here  in  school. 

I  have  received  letters  from  fathers  and  mothers 
from  different  States  who  have  lost  their  compan- 
ions, and  have  children  from  one  to  five  in  number 
in  a  family,  wanting  to  put  them  in  a  Home  and 
School  of  this  kind,  where  they  can  have  Christian 
training  as  well  as  an  education. 

The  deal  I  have  just  made  enables  me  to  help 
all  who  desire  this,  and  take  children,  whom  their 
parents  desire  to  have  trained  this  way. 

Investigate  the  "Church  of  God  Faith  School," 
located  at  1481  South  Lauderdale  Street,  Memphis, 
Tennessee,  which  will  open  Sept.  1st,  1914.  A  school 
in  which  the  Bible  is  taught,  respected  and  believed, 
rather  than  neglected  and  crowded  out. 

A  school  in  which  the  heart  is  trained  as  well 
as  the  mind.    A  school  of  education  for  the  boy  and 


HOW  I  GOT  FAITH  257 

gill,  that  will  rightly  direct  him  or  her  when  they 
become  men  and  women.  A  school  where  each  pnpil 
and  their  special  needs  are  stndied  and  complied 
with  as  far  as  possible.  A  school  that  welcomes 
both  rich  and  poor  and  shows  no  ])artiality  to  eith- 
er. A  school  of  discipline  and  obedience.  A  .school 
teaching  all  the  common  branches  of  study  and  such 
others  as  are  deemed  adndssable.  A  school  dedi- 
cated to  God  for  his  lilory  and  your  children's  wel- 
fare. 

I  have  teachers  Avho  are  capable  of  condftcting 
this  school.  I  shall  spend  most  of  my  time  in  the 
evangelistic  work,  but  will  look  aftei-  the  Tlome  and 
School.  I  shall  locate  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  by  Aug- 
ust 30th,  1914,  the  Lord  willing. 

You  can  address  me  here  till  August  30th,  after 
that  date  to  1481  South  Lauderdale  Street,  Mem- 
])his.  Tennessee. 

Vou  that  are  interested  in  a  school  of  this  kind 
write  me.  You  who  know  the  worth  of  prayer, 
pray  that  God  will  help  me  to  fill  my  calling,  and 
be  a  blessing  to  humanity  the  remainder  of  my  life. 

1  send  this  book  to  the  public,  breathing  a  i)ray- 
er  in  God,  that  he  Avill  make  it  a  bles.sing  to  human- 
ity, in  encouraging  those  who  are  discouraged,  and 
helping  to  establish  the  failli  in  the  hearts  of  the 
saints  of  God. 

Your  brother  set  in  defense  of  the  (Jospcl.  in 
the  one  body  of  Ghi-ist, 

Wii.i.is  M.  Bkown. 


Publishers'  Note: 

Mr.  Brown  sent  us  sufficient  manu.srript  to  make  :i  three 
huiidroil  or  more  pape  book,  ns  he  has  advertised,  but  we  con- 
densed the  same  and  made  fewer  pages  but  the  same  amount 
of  reading. — Publishers. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 

,>  ir>* — — 


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